Pompeii(c)

Pompeii ( 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 )

Public Buildings (continued)

Forum Baths

The Forum Baths lie at the junction of the Via del Foro and the Via delle Terme. They were built in the early years of the Roman colony from public funds by the duovir Lucius Caesius and the aediles Caius Occius and Lucius Niraemius. Although these baths are not the largest in Pompeii, they are amongst the most interesting, having many decorative motifs.


									C
				5
									14
B
			2			7
						4
					6
											12
		1
								9
					3
						8
												10
										13
													11
														E
							D
	A

Men's Baths

A. Entrance. B. Palaestra entrance. C. Secondary entrance.

1. Apodyterium.
3. Tepidarium.
5. Palaestra.
7. Labrum.

2. Frigidarium.
4. Caldarium.
6. Bronze Brazier.
8. Bath.

Facilities

D. Entrance.

9. Furnaces.

Women's Baths

E. Entrance.

11. Frigidarium.
13. Caldarium.

10. Apodyterium.
12. Tepidarium.
14. Courtyard.

The layout of the baths appears to be based on the older Stabian Baths.

The complex was divided into two separate parts with the furnace room (praefurnium) in between providing hot water and steam to both.

The men's baths had three entrances (A, B and C) as shown in the above diagram, whilst the women's had a single entrance (D) on the Via delle Terme.

The men's rooms are still in a remarkably good state of preservation, especially the barrel vault of the tepidarium which still bears part of the first century AD stucco decoration. In addition, the bronze brazier used to heat the room has also survived.

The labrum pictured on the right was filled with cold water. Around the edge is a bronze-letter inscription bearing the name of the official who had it set up, indicating that he spent the grand sum of 5,250 sesterces for the purpose.