Ancient Roman Baths
Ancient Romans liked to visit local baths because of several reasons:
1. The poor lived in the insulae with no water supply would go to the local baths for personal hygiene.
2. The rich lived in houses had water supply through pipes but most houses could not afford the tax for large pipes that supplied for a bath complex.
3. The local baths was a popular place for social gatherings.
There were different types of baths available:
1. Cold Bath (frigidarium)
2. Warm Bath ( tepidarium)
3. Hot Bath ( caldarium)
2. Warm Bath ( tepidarium)
3. Hot Bath ( caldarium)
The public baths were very large and besides the baths, it contained an exercise area, a swimming pool and a gymnasium.
The steps in taking a bath:
1. Pay the entrance fee which was usually very cheap
2. Exercise to work up a sweat
3. Move into the warm bath and then the hot bath
4. A slave rubbed olive oil on the visitor's skin and then scrape it off with a strigil
5. Return to the warm bath, then move into the cold bath to cool down
6. Swim in the main pool
7. Relax and socialize
The Forum of Pompeii
The Forum in Pompeii was the center of the town's commercial, religious and political institutions. Everyday, many citizens gathered at the Forum to worship in temples, run business in shops and gossip in the market square. Famous buildings in the Forum included the Macellum, the Mensa Ponderaria, the Temple of Jupiter and the Basillica which housed the law courts.
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The Amphitheater of Pompeii
The Amphitheater was located in the eastern end of the town. It measured 135 x 104 meters and could hold 20,000 people. The amphitheater was a famous place for watching gladiator fights and chariot races, two very popular entertainments for the ancient Romans.