Ancient Tuesday: Baths of Caracalla

Although in ruins, a visit to the Baths of Caracalla will present you with a sense of the immense scale of Roman construction. You will also have a sense of the core of Roman construction, brickwork. These brick buildings would have been covered with marble, including the local travertine marble used in the Colosseum. The Baths of Caracalla were constructed in the early 200s AD and in use until 500 AD. The have been plundered for their artwork as well as for the marble by Romans and the papacy.

The scale and sense of activity that must have taken place during the use is amazing to imagine. This was not just a place for bathing, but exercising and relaxing as well. Some of the baths would have been heated from underneath, and there was said to have been a library in the complex as well. The Baths are not quite walkable, but at the same time, an easy taxi or bus ride will get you to the site.

---

---

Are you interested in seeing this?

• Yes!
• If there is time.
• It doesn't really call to me.