Due to the number of slaves who did almost all of the hard work, Romans had more spare time to enjoy. One of the most popular pastimes for men was to attend the local baths. They could swim in the pool or move from a caldarium (hot room) to a tepidarium (warm room) to a frigidarium (cold room). The men were massaged with a mixture of oil and perfume and any dirt was then scraped off their bodies using a small curved rod called a strigil.
In places such as the massive Baths of Caracalla or Baths of Diocletian there were also areas for wrestling and exercise (palaestra), libraries, lecture theatres and gardens. The baths became important locations for Romans to meet and socialise. Women could attend during certain times when men were not there or else they could attend women-only baths.
Frigidarium – Cool unheated room that usually had a domed roof.
Palaestra – An
exercise area for wrestling or using weights.
Caldarium – A hot
room with a heated pool.
DiScOvErInG HiStOrY
Tepidarium – A
warm room indirectly heated by a tepid (lukewarm) pool.
Fig 2.19 An example of a Roman baths showing the various rooms within it.