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Central Baths

Address: Regio IX, Insula 4, 5

The Central Baths or the Central Terme were not completed at the time of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. However, they give a good understanding of the logic of the contemporary (to eruption) Roman architecture. They were designed to make the building as comfortable as possible for the people of Pompeii. More light fell into the rooms of the bath, and also gave more opportunities for exercise.

The Central Baths in Pompeii was laid out after the earthquake of 62 years, but by the time of the eruption of the volcano Vesuvius they were not finished. Some of the buildings were completed and even water was supplied, however, the stoves, the pool and part of the building were not finished. Due to the fact that in the Central Baths of Pompeii they did not have time to build a division between the women's and men's departments, it is logical to assume that the baths were used, but were used alternately. That is, on certain days and maybe hours men used the Central Baths, and on other days or hours they were reserved for women.

The Central Terme was very large in scope, but most of the buildings were either not built or were partially destroyed. Compared to other terms of Pompeii, of course Central Terms are less interesting.

The entrances to the Central Baths led from the north, west, and south (a and a ') directly to the central palestra (g), while the service entrances (j) opened into a large corridor along the eastern side of the complex. The main entrance may have been on the north side and led to the lobby (a) through the palestra (g) to room (b), probably the apoditerium, although the room was never finished. The Apoditrium in the baths was a dressing room. Historian and archaeologist Mau suggested that this room, along with small rooms on the north and east sides, was a store offering food and other goods to bathers, but the apoditerium seems to be the more likely explanation.

The south side of the Apoditrium opened in a frigidarium (s) (cold room in the bath), in which there were three large windows overlooking the palestra. Instead of a round room with a central bathroom, as in the Forum baths and in the Stabiana baths, there was a large rectangular room with a cold bath pool along the east wall. This is an innovation that has also been repeated in the Sarno baths.