It would be impossible to separate the ancient Rome from the Roman baths. The use of public bath was a pleasure and a rest, affordable to the whole population. In 33 BC, Agrippa, Augustus’s right arm, wanted to mark his magistrature by building these baths and inacted that the entry would be free. This principle became from then on the rule for all other imperial baths that would be opened in the future. Here in the centre of the picture the Baths of Agrippa and the huge outside pool in the centre left of the picture. . The Baths in the south-east angle.














The Baths of Néro embedded between the Stadium of Domitian, on the right, and the Pantheon on the left.

The Baths on the side of the public Garden of Agrippa.















The Baths of Titus, in the centre of the picture, were standing on the side of the former Golden House of Nero. The outside portico is facing the Colosseum, of which you see a part of it on the left side. In the foreground, right, are the buttresses of the Baths of Trajan. One must admit that these baths were a little squeezed up by the vicinity of the Baths of Trajan and the Colosseum.










The Baths of Trajan . Built on the top of the Oppian peak of the Esquiline hill, they were the model for all future baths, through the architecture of the central building, the gardens and the exedras. Conceived by Apollodorus of Damascus, they included wide spaces for physical and intellectual exercises. Two libraries allowed intellectual untertainment. As usual for the great baths, a nearby basin allowed to control the need of water. That of the Trajan Baths was doubled by another vast outside basin in the south-east angle.














The Baths of Decius on the Aventine.








The Baths of Caracalla . They were, at the time of their construction, the biggest ever known until then. A sober external aspect, but a richly decorated interior The whole was surely quivering with the animation of crowded bathers, sportsmen or intellectuals that had them rather than the libraries.













The Baths of Diocletian were the biggest and the most beautiful of Rome. They could host up to 3000 people at a time. They included libraries , concert halls, gardens with fountains and running track, paintings and sculptures exhibition halls, and several gymnasiums.
The outside pool was huge. This uncovered swimming pool was also called Natatio. The Baths of Diocletian were supplied by the great Marcia Tepula Iulia aquaduct. It was in a large reservoir that the water was stored for the needs of the Baths.








The Baths of Constantine on the Quirinal are among the last constructions of great public baths.
Bird’s eye view of the Baths on the Quirinal hill.












In the IVth century there was at least 900 baths establishments in Rome. Most of them were very simply arranged, like the Baths of Commodus at the bottom of the picture. Built only a few steps away from the Baths of Caracalla. The region of the Baths of Commodus must have been an extremely pleasant place.









The Baths called Baths of Timothy (Thermæ Timotænæ ) on the ancient Vicus Patricius. The remnants of these baths are presently under the church of St Pudentiana. Already since the IInd century these baths housed a christian cult.