ABurbe-Suburbe Baths

The baths were integral to ancient Roman life, serving as a combination of modern health spas and social clubs. There were separate baths for the men and women, each consisting of a medium temperature room, a very hot room, and a very cold room. One would sit in the high temperature room, the caldarium, for a while to sweat out the bad vibes, and then move into the cold room, or frigidarium, and then to clean off. The caldarium was heated by water passing underneath the tile floor, which was supported on ceramic columns. The frigiadrium was supplied with cool water flowing from the mountains down the aqueducts. The baths were very important as a social gathering place as well as a place of sanitation, because Romans would go there after a day's work to relax and cool off, and they would often meet their friends there, and talk. Likely as many issues were presented to the Senate were settled in the baths as were settled in the Forum.