Early Greek and Roman Baths

“Bene Lave!” was a common greeting exchanged between Romans in ancient times; it means “Have a good bath!” This daily salutation shows the significance and importance of both private bathing and public bathhouses in ancient Greece and Rome. Both the ancient Greeks and Romans had insight to know that their cleanliness was related to good health and hygiene. Bathhouses in the two cultures became so much more than a place to take a soak; they were epicenters of culture, sports and intellectual pursuits.

Greek Baths

Ancient Greek bath practices in the home were strikingly similar to bathing rituals of modern years: a hot bath was prepared by heating water in a cauldron and pouring it into a large marble or sometimes wooden cistern, a vessel shaped much like the modern bathtub. Afterwards, the bather soaked and cleansed themselves in the heated water, and afterwards moisturized their body with various scented oils. Afterwards, the man or woman put on a fresh, clean tunic and often had a hot meal or light refreshments, depending on the time of day. The Greeks also frequently bathed themselves privately in the salt water of the sea, a practice which was most often done privately, and was considered ritualistic, spiritual, and beneficial to the body, spirit, and mind. Amazingly, these everyday bathing and spa-like practices are still easy to relate to today, over 2,000 years later.

Outside of the ancient Greek home, the epicenter of public bathing was the gymnasium. Much like modern gyms or spas, gymnasiums were public meeting places and sporting centers; they offered athletics of all kinds public baths, massage areas, an arena for intellectual conversations, food vendors for a quick snack, and much more. Believed to be pioneered by the Spartans, the gymnasium was first and foremost an arena for athletic pursuits, and the public baths offered in the gymnasiums were merely a secondary amenity. Most often cold-water, the baths offered in these facilities were offered to promote proper hygiene and caring for the body; hot water baths were popularly thought to be too aristocratic and indulgent for common use. The loutron was the area (almost always open-air) that public bathing took place in the Greek gymnasium. With separate areas for men and women, the loutron almost exclusively featured cold-water bathing, and it was here that patrons not only washed themselves, but massaged, exfoliated and anointed their skins with various oils. The Greeks also enjoyed a simple steam room called a laconia, in which water was poured onto hot rocks often strewn with various aromatic herbs that enhanced the therapeutic sweat session, much like a modern sauna.

• Greek Medicine: The Greco Roman- Bath: This site gives further information on the medical importance of personal hygiene at home and in the bathhouse.

• Ancient Baths Resource Site: Here you can find general information on early Greek baths, explore pictures and photographs of different archaeological bathhouse sites, and learn bath and bathing terms in a comprehensive glossary.

• Ancient Greeks: Home Life: This BBC site explores the everyday lives of the ancient Greeks, and includes some fascinating information on their bathing practices.

• The History of Plumbing: Greece: With such sophisticated bathhouses, of course the Ancient Greeks had plumbing concerns! This short history of plumbing in Ancient Greece explores the more practical side of bathing.

• Ancient Inventions: Showers: Did you know that the Greeks were the first culture to invent the predecessor of the modern shower? On this page you can read all about its history and importance in Greece, and view fascinating ancient illustrations of showers that look remarkably contemporary.

• The Gymnasium Complex: Public bathing in Ancient Greece was centered around their elaborate gymnasiums. This helpful article reveals the history behind this important Greek invention.

• "Baths and Bathing in Ancient Greece" (PDF): This extensive and thorough article written by Angela G. Panayotatou in 1920 contains lots of information and interesting tidbits that are still relevant today.

Roman Baths

As they did with so much of Greek culture, art, architecture, religion and government, the Romans took the existing prototype of Greek public bathing and expanded and improved its basic structure. Following changes and improvements to the baths of the Greek gymnasium, the Roman bath house very quickly became a popular and even essential part of everyday life. In fact, even though most well-to-do families dedicated an area of their private homes to the art of bathing, these Roman citizens still frequented the public bathhouses regularly. Outside the home, smaller, privately owned, but still publicly accessible, baths were called balneae. L arger , state-owned baths were called thermae; these grandiose bath houses could often stretch two football fields in length! In both types of bathhouses, the most significant change to the existing Greek system was the development and proliferation of hot water bathing. While the Greek’s baths were mostly comprised of cold water, the Romans quickly engineered ingenious ways to incorporate heated baths and other facilities in the balneae  and thermae . The Roman hypocaust was a clever system in which raised pillars allowed hot air from several wood-burning furnaces to circulate and heat the pools and baths.

Besides engineering and popularizing hot water bathing, the Romans made many other significant changes and improvements to the basic concept of the Greek bathhouse. These included more elaborate architectural designs, sophisticated latrine systems that contained a simpler version of the modern “flush toilet”, and increased public facilities available to bathers such as food vendors, performers of all sorts, barbers and libraries.

• Roman Baths and Bathing: This article is offers an in-depth look into the traditions and trends of bathing and bathhouses in Ancient Rome.

• Ancient Rome: The Baths: Here you can view several pictures of the ruins of ancient bathhouses, as well as read a short article regarding this popular Roman pastime.

• "Bath Bubbles": This free online game is educational and fun: help Claudius find clues and successfully make his way through the Ancient Roman bathhouse. Learn bathhouse vocabulary and experience the historical layout of a bathhouse as you play!

• A Day at the Baths: One of the most impressive bathhouses ever built by the Romans was The Baths of Caracalla. This page from NOVA allows visitors to take a virtual tour of this magnificent structure by clicking on various areas of the architectural plans for the baths.

• Rub-A-Dub-Dubbing in Ancient Rome: This article gives a thorough explanation of Roman baths and bathing rituals, as well as interesting comparisons to modern-day bathing.

• Baths of Caracalla: This site offers a description of this famous Roman bathhouse, as well as pictures.

• Baths of Agrippa: The architecture and history of another famous Roman bathhouse is explored in this article. Many photographs of The Baths of Agrippa are also available on the page.

• Roman Society, Roman Life: This page explores the everyday life of the Ancient Romans, including much information on bathing and the public baths.

Regional Differences and Similarities

Greek and Roman baths and bathing habits, both private and public, were very similar. Both of the civilization’s public bathhouses served both a practical and social function; debating, philosophical discussion and gossip went hand in hand with the bathing rituals and exercise these structures were designed for. The Greek and Roman baths also had many differences. Greek baths were of a more simple design, while the Roman baths were often architectural marvels complete with towering monuments and separate sports facilities that rival many of today’s country clubs. Visiting a bathhouse became an important and routine part of a Roman citizen’s day. There were many smaller differences between the Greek and Roman baths as well. For example, the Greeks exercised nude, while the Romans did not. Also in Rome, as women gained more financial rights and political power, women’s bath facilities became common and more elaborate. Roman baths were also far greater in number than the Greek’s. There were over 900 private baths and about a dozen public ones is Rome alone at the end of the 4^th century AD!

• A Short History of Bathing: This article examines the Roman baths and compares their rituals and customs to those of other countries and cultures from similar time periods.

• Mediterranean Baths: Mass Bathing: The history, architectural advances, and cultural significance of Greek and Roman mass bathing are discussed in this insightful article.

• Jewish Magic in the Bathhouse: This scholarly article tackles an interesting topic: the influence of Jewish rituals in both Greek and Roman bathhouses. The article also offers a good overview of the bathhouses of both cultures, including their similarities and differences.

• Greek and Roman History: This comprehensive list of links offers further reading on the baths and many other aspects of Greek and Roman life, history, architecture and more.