Suburban Baths

Suburban Baths

 

Suburban Baths

Address: Porta Marina or Sea Gate

 

Suburban Terme or Suburban Baths were located outside the city, 100 meters beyond the Sea Gate (Porta Marina). The Romans were not afraid of invading enemies and therefore preferred to build their baths on an artificial terrace outside the city wall. The reasons for choosing this place were more aesthetic rather than practical reasons. In ancient times, the sea was much closer and visitors could marvel at a beautiful view of the Mediterranean Sea. We added Suburban Therm Pompeii to Regio VIII however it is outside the city limits hence the name Suburban Baths.

The complex of Suburban Baths in Pompeii was divided into two floors. On the first there were bathhouses, and on the second there were three rooms that were intended for the workers, the owner and maybe even a brothel. Although the latter is somewhat controversial assumption. Unlike other baths in Pompeii, these baths were not divided into male and female parts. Or they were intended only for men, or men and women alternated in the use of this institution.

 

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Suburban Baths is largely known for its fourth-style erotic frescoes, located in the dressing room of the baths. The authors did not skimp on the details and showed imagination in poses. Erotic wall paintings in Suburban Baths are the only collection of such art found in a public Roman bath. Explicit sex scenes (such as group sex and oral sex) are depicted in large numbers in these paintings, which are not easily found in the collections of erotic Roman art in other regions of Pompeii, and indeed throughout the ancient Roman Empire. In addition, there was depicted the only one in the image of lesbian sex in the art of ancient Rome. The last image was found in the early 1990s and this destroyed the hypothesis that Suburban Baths served as a lupanar, i.e. brothel The original theory of these frescoes was that these frescoes and Roman numerals under them designated the services of local prostitutes. That is, it was enough to give a figure and the priestesses of love served the client upon request, but the fact that examples of unconventional sex scenes were found here suggests that it was not a brothel.

The paintings are located in the apoditrium, and each scene is located above the numbered box (from I to XVI). Apparently the boxes function as lockers in which bathers wear their clothes. It is assumed that the paintings may have served as a way for the swimmers to remember the location of their mailbox (instead of numbering). The presence of these paintings in a public bath, shared by men and women, gives some insight into Roman culture and suggests that people would not find it offensive.

Much to our regret, the Suburban Baths was one of the first buildings found in Pompeii. The first archaeologists did not care about preserving the buildings. They were interested in expensive things like statues, amphoras and other examples of art that could be sold to royal houses. Therefore, most of items from the Suburban Terme were stolen. All that was bad and could be unscrewed was carried away and sold. Archaeological excavations were finally conducted in 1958.

Suburban Baths  Suburban Baths  Suburban Baths  Suburban Baths  Suburban Baths