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The first shrine at the site of the hot springs was built by Celts, and was dedicated to the goddess Sulis, whom the Romans identified with Minerva. Geoffrey of Monmouth in his largely fictional Historia Regum Britanniae describes how in 836 BC the spring was discovered by the British King Bladud who built the first baths. Early in the eighteenth century Geoffrey's obscure legend was given great prominence as a royal endorsement of the waters' qualities, with the embellishment that the spring had cured Bladud and his herd of pigs of leprosy through wallowing in the warm mud.

The name Sulis continued to be used after the Roman invasion, leading to the town's Roman name of Aquae Sulis . The temple was constructed in 60-70 AD and the bathing complex was gradually built up over the next 300 years. During the Roman occupation of Britain, and possibly on the instructions of Emperor Claudius, engineers drove oak piles to provide a stable foundation into the mud and surrounded the spring with an irregular stone chamber lined with lead. In the second century it was enclosed within a wooden barrel-vaulted building, and included the caldarium (hot bath), tepidarium (warm bath), and frigidarium (cold bath). After the Roman withdrawal from Britain in the first decade of the fifth century, these fell into disrepair and were eventually lost due to silting up, and flooding. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, suggests the original Roman baths were destroyed in the 6th century.

The baths have been modified on several occasions, including the 12th century when John of Tours built a curative bath over the King's Spring reservoir and the 16th century when the city corporation built a new bath (Queen's Bath) to the south of the Spring. The spring is now housed in eighteenth century buildings, designed by architects John Wood, the Elder and John Wood, the Younger, father and son. Visitors drank the waters in the Pump Room, a neo-classical salon which remains in use, both for taking the waters and for social functions. Victorian expansion of the baths complex followed the neo-classical tradition established by the Woods. In 1810 the Hot Springs failed and William Smith opened up the Hot Bath Spring to the bottom, where he found that the spring had not failed but had flowed into a new channel. Smith restored the water to its original course and the Baths filled.

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The first historically recorded public baths in the city of Rome were the Baths of Agrippa. Its construction (which was supervised by Agrippa) probably started in 25 BC and it was opened in 19 BC when the aqueduct of the Aqua Virgo (which supplied water for the baths and was also commissioned by Agrippa) was completed. However, it is not known whether this was actually the first bath house ever built.

Bathing in Rome started much earlier than this with the balneum, a bath tub in the houses of the rich, which over time became a sumptuous bathing area with several rooms. The development of the Roman version of the hypocaust (a system of underfloor heating) by Sergio Orata, probably in the early first century BC made the construction of thermae (public baths) possible. The thermae combined the balneum (bathing facilities) with the Greek gymnasium (facilities for exercise and sport).

The poets Martial and Status said that Claudius Etruscus, a freedman at the court of the emperor Claudius (reigned 41-54 AD) who became the head of the imperial financial administration, built what Martial called subice balneum thermis (singular of thermae) and Status called balnea (plural of balneum), which suggests that the term thermae had not become firmly established at this time. Martial probably used belneum for the bathing area and thermis for the gymnasiums area. This building has been called by historians Thermae Etrusci.

In the first century AD emperors started to build imperial bathhouses which developed into large and sumptuous complexes which they named after themselves. These were the mentioned Thermae Etrusci, the Baths of Nero (64 AD) The Baths of Titus (81 AD) the Baths of Domitian (90 AD) and the Baths of Trajan (100 AD). The thermae developed into monumental structures with Nero, who was innovative and visionary in urban planning. He built the first large and monumental baths near the baths of Agrippa. Martial said that the baths of Nero were one of the most notable monuments of the city and that they were very popular. The first baths elsewhere in Italy and the rest of the Roman Empire were also built in this period.

Over the centuries, sixteen major public baths were built in the city of Rome. There probably were smaller and unrecorded ones. The biggest one was the baths of Diocletian (306 BC) and the baths of Caracalla (216 AD).

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11y ago
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In 1734 bc, a big hole was found in the ground(hey that rhymes)

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16y ago
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the first roman baths were built by the end of the first century

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15y ago
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At the end of the first century

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12y ago
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Q: When was the roman bath in bath built?
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Where were the roman houses built?

The Roman houses were built in the city of Rome and in all the towns the Roman built around the Roman Empire, especially in Italy. The Romans also built houses on their farms.


Did the Romans build Bath houses to honor Gods?

No, they built temples and shrines to honor their gods. A bath house was a recreational center, used for bathing and socializing.No, they built temples and shrines to honor their gods. A bath house was a recreational center, used for bathing and socializing.No, they built temples and shrines to honor their gods. A bath house was a recreational center, used for bathing and socializing.No, they built temples and shrines to honor their gods. A bath house was a recreational center, used for bathing and socializing.No, they built temples and shrines to honor their gods. A bath house was a recreational center, used for bathing and socializing.No, they built temples and shrines to honor their gods. A bath house was a recreational center, used for bathing and socializing.No, they built temples and shrines to honor their gods. A bath house was a recreational center, used for bathing and socializing.No, they built temples and shrines to honor their gods. A bath house was a recreational center, used for bathing and socializing.No, they built temples and shrines to honor their gods. A bath house was a recreational center, used for bathing and socializing.


How were the roman baths in bath discovered?

The Roman Baths in Bath were discovered when someone found a large leak in their basement and tried to find out what it was. They then found a small part of the roman baths in their basement! The houses were knocked down and the Roman Baths were restored and became a popular tourist attraction.


How many people can fit in a roman bath?

Roman villas came in all sizes. Some were no more than large country houses while others were true villas whereas they were large, luxurious, and self-supporting. There was no set size for a country house to be designated a villa.


How often does the Roman bath get cleaned?

It is not known. Roman baths were cleaned as needed. They were flushed by using the water supplied by the aqueducts.