Roman Baths Today

The therapeutic and emotionally uplifting benefit of water is undeniable. Our bodies are 70 percent water, no one can survive long without fresh drinking water, any room with a view of water is valued, and then there’s bathing. Being in water may bring forth deep feelings founded on our first sensation of floating in embryonic fluids. Babies are calmed when fussy or stimulated when lethargic by splashing around in warm baths, and most people in developed countries enjoy daily cleansing and purification rituals.

Preserved ruins of bath complexes in Pompeii and descriptions from Roman times by Pliny the Elder and Vitruvius give us a good idea of their design and cultural significance. Two thousand years ago, Rome had at least one million people living in dense circumstances. Nine major aqueducts extending over 250 miles brought fresh water to the city servicing public fountains and baths, as well as tax-paying private homes. Pools of tepid, hot and cold water, and steam rooms were constructed with great concrete vaults, decorated with mosaics and frescos, and supplied by a network of sophisticated piped systems. The density of Rome would have been impossible without the scale of this water infrastructure, and these baths were a critical part of Rome’s social and business activities.

How do they compare to health clubs today? American ones have lap pools for exercise, sauna and steam rooms, and single or dual gender hot tubs. But the architecture? Mahogany locker doors and brass knobs are supposed to signal luxury, never mind the acoustic tile ceilings, wall-to-wall carpeting and plainly tiled walls. Recessed can lights are a poor substitute for daylight that bounces off water surfaces making dynamic reflections. Always too many mirrors. Most people would make better models for a Rubens painting than a Victoria Secret’s catalogue.

But the friendships come easily there, because, here’s the point: people feel good. Moving in water allows bodies to stretch and tone in a medium that relieves us of gravity. The verbs are flow and float, not force and impact. Bathing is more about feelings of well-being than physical appearances. Romans appreciated the relaxation and enjoyment, and were surely better able to live in close quarters because they felt better. Water has this ability. Nevertheless, it is important to know that there’s a lot to be worried about regarding water. Because it is both so ubiquitous and necessary, we often undervalue its worth and are wasteful. Buildings are just beginning to have dual piped water supplies that separate potable water for drinking, cooking and bathing from recycled water or stored rainwater that are suitable for other activities primarily flushing toilets and irrigating gardens. Regulations must penalize industries that pollute natural waterways, and coastal towns and cities that are periodically threatened or destroyed by storm surges are considering new land use practices. Big consumers – golf courses and outdoor swimming pools – are reducing their needs with better design and operating procedures. Of all the natural resources that man has commodified, water is the most critical. Supporting sustainable practices will insure that we not only have clean drinking water and food, but also that we aren't thirsty for a sense of well-being only provided by immersing our bodies in water.