The Roman Baths

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The Public Baths were extremely popular. Roman women and men tried to visit the baths at least once every day. A trip to the baths was a very important part of Roman daily life. The baths had hot and cold pools, towels, slaves to wait on you, steam rooms, saunas, exercise rooms, and hair cutting salons. They had reading rooms and libraries. It was the place where you could keep up with the latest gossip. They even had stores, selling all kinds of things. People sold hot food. The baths were arranged rather like a very large mall, with bathing pools. The people loved the baths so they were always very crowded. At one point in history, there were as many as 900 public baths in ancient Rome. Small ones held about 300 people, and the big ones held around 1500 people. Some Roman hospitals even had their own bathhouses. Unfortunately kids like you were not allowed to use the baths. Although they were public baths they still had to pay to get in. Slaves could not use the baths, but accompanied their masters.. The Springs Aquae Sulis (that’s Bath to you) has three hot springs. The spring that has the most water coming out from it is special to the goddess Sulis Minerva. She was worshipped here even before us Romans arrived! People travel far to visit the spring, pray to her and ask for her help. There is a stone tank around the Spring. It’s sealed with lead to stop the water from leaking away. It can only go two ways: to the baths or through a big drain out to the river. The roof over the Spring was added later. Statues of gods and goddesses stand in the water. Plants grow on the walls and sometimes birds fly through the windows. It seems more like a pool in a wood than a water tank in the centre of a town When you went to the baths, you took off your outdoor clothes and warmed up with some exercises. Then, after a swim in the pool, you went into a series

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