Hadrian’s Baths at Lepcis Magna

Basics

• Built in Leptis Magna in 126-127 AD.

• Built in the reign of Hadrian (hence the name): he did not actually have anything to do with the baths.

• Complex was renovated in 180-193 AD under the reign of Emperor Commodus.

• First major building in Lepcis Magna to make use of imported marble for STRUCTURE and DECORATION.

• After this all important buildings used marble in this way and older buildings were upgraded to use it.

Function

• Large Imperial Thermae (bath complex)

• Public baths were paid for by the state for the local inhabitants.

• No separate facilities for women: how may the people have dealt with this?

History

• The imperial thermae evolved in the Early Empire and their mature and symmetrical plans became established from the time of Nero (his baths in 62AD) to Trajan (his baths in 105AD)

Layout of the complex

• A large exercise yard (palaestra) at the north end of the complex.

• An open air swimming pool (natatio) surrounded by Corinthian porticos of pink marble.

• Colonnaded halls flank the natatio leading to chnaging rooms (apodyteria) and toilets (latrines).

Layout continued• Four openings lead into the cold room (frigidarium),

the most significant space in the complex. It features 2 plunge pools, 1 at each end- these were added at the time of Commodus.

• A single doorway leads to the warm room (tepidarium) with its large central plunge pool flanked with grey marble columns. 2 smaller side baths were added later.

• The hot room (caldarium) has a barrel-vaulted ceiling with five glazed windows, each with a hot water basin below approached by steps.

Layout continued

• To either side were the sweating rooms (laconia) and the external furnaces using the hypocast heating system to heat the water and air for the rooms.

• Other rooms on the east and west sides were most probably used as libraries, lecture rooms or rest areas.

thers

Baths of Caracalla (Emperor 198-217), in Rome. Largest thermae in the world: were free and open to everyone and could hold up to

approx. 1600 bathers. One of over 50 thermae in Rome at the time.

• Hypocaust system: • http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-32UWMCrtE• Roman Baths: • http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=GC1K_ulow7U

Questions for today 1. When were the baths built? 2. Which two emperors were involved in the creation of these baths? 3. Roman name for the exercise yard? Where was it located? 4. Largest pool in the complex? How was this decorated? 5. Roman name for toilets? What did they use for toilet paper? 6. What was the point of using marble in the toilets? 7. Name three differences between the earlier Stabian Baths at Pompeii and Hadrian’s Baths at Lepcis

Magna. 8. Give a description of the Natatio that includes at least 4 architectural elements. 9. What is the Frigidarium? Where is it located in the thermae? Give a brief description of it including

3 structural/ architectural elements. 10. What is the roman name for the hotroom/ main heated rooms? What were its dimensions, what

was the roof like and give two elements that were interesting about the walls. 11. What were the super hot rooms called and why were the floors of these raised? 12. Name 3 activities that you may have done at this thermae. 13. Why were baths so popular in ancient rome? 14. How were Hadrian’s Baths at Lepcis Magna ahead of their time and innovative ? 15. Explain the heating system of the complex and the importance of the placing of the furnaces.