Rome: The Baths Of Diocletian

The Baths of Diocletian, also situated in Rome, Italy, was commissioned by emperor Maximian in 298 AD as a tribute to his co-leader Diocletian. This is displayed in an inscription on the main entrance of the Diocletian’s baths, which says: “Our Lords Diocletian and Maximian, the elder and invincible Augusti, fathers of the Emperors and Caesars, our lords Constantius and Maximian and Severus and Maximin, noblest Caesars, dedicated to their beloved Romans these auspicious Baths of Diocletian, which the divine Maximin on his return from Africa ordered to be built and consecrated in the name of his brother Diocletian”. This thermal complex completed construction in 306 AD, after Diocletian and Maximian’s abdication in favour of rulers Constantius
The bathing complex’s dimensions were 250 metres by 180 metres. The natatio was the grand outdoor swimming pool on the northern part of the bathing area. The natatio had a total area of around 2500 square metres. The bathers would then traverse down to the frigidarium which was covered by a triple cross-vault and was a very magnificent structure in terms of architecture. Inside the cold room were four spaces that contained cold pools for bathing. The tepidarium was smaller in terms of size and was circular in shape. Because of its circular shape, it was covered by a dome instead of cross-vaults. Two rectangular exedrae jut out from the dome, and is symmetrically arranged in the room. The caldarium was a rectangular hall, and similarly to the frigidarium it was covered by a triple cross-vault. It faced south to take advantage of the heat from the afternoon sun. Along the central hot-to-cold rooms lay symmetrically arranged rooms, such as the apodyteria (changing rooms) and other amenities typically found in a Roman bathing complex. The two palaestrae are also symmetrically arranged on either side of the complex, as shown in the thermae’s floor plan. The palaestrae were elaborately decorated with pink granite columns and glass mosaics on the floor of the
The marble was used for the ornamental parts of the baths, and sculptures were carved out of marble. It was also used as part of the structural component of the bathing complex. The columns, which not only supported the structure but also aided in the ornamental design, were carved out of Egyptian granite. Marble sculptures were placed throughout the whole complex. Statues recovered from the palaestrae were most likely to be recycled from earlier baths such as the Hadrianic Baths in Leptis Magna, as they dated back to the start of the Imperial period. Like the Baths of Caracalla, the thermae Diocletiani had its water source from the aqua Marcia aqueduct. After the Diocletian Baths ceased operations after the Ostrogoths’ victory over Rome, it became –like other Imperial baths- a quarry for construction materials and marble statues that eventually found its way to churches and museums across