This colossal bathing arena was built during the reign of Caracalla, the Roman Emperor between the years 212 – 217 AD. Located in the southeast end of Ancient Rome, the Baths of Caracalla were ranked second in size to the Baths of Diocletian and were under top notch maintenance. In Rome, at the time, this bathing complex was known to be the most well maintained one amongst its counterparts. The idea and construction were said to have been originally initiated under Caracalla’s father – Septimius Severus, in his final year (Grant, 119). After Septimius’s death, Caracalla took over the project and completed it by 216 AD. Although the baths were completed and operational, they continued to have minor work being done on its exterior during the reign of the successive emperor – Elagabalus, and were finally completed by his successor, Alexander Severus (Yegül, 152). These baths were open for the Roman public. This meant, anyone could go in and have a bath, even the slaves. As emperor, Caracalla wanted to bolster himself through his reign just like any previous emperors did, so he continued constructing the baths. Also, completing and providing this grand beautiful bath complex to the Roman people had a political propaganda twist to it. The Baths of Caracalla (Fig. 1) was a way for Caracalla to redeem himself as a great emperor instead of a cruel one to the Roman people after his death. Caracalla was someone who would go to inhumane extremes to achieve what he wants. In late 211, after his father’s death, Caracalla (Fig. 2) murdered his younger brother in order to secure the throne for himself and went on a killing spree, killing anyone who was affiliated with his brother. Despite him being a cruel emperor, he was indeed a dexterou...
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Fig. 3 - "Farnese Bull." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 27 Nov. 2013. Web. 05 Dec. 2013. .
Fig. 4 - "My Roman Adventures." : The Baths of Caracalla: A Glimpse into the Ancient Roman Past. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2013. .
1) Yegül, Fikret. Baths and Bathing in Classical Antiquity. New York: The MIT P, 1996.
2) Piranomonte, Marina;. The Baths of Caracalla. Milan: Electa, 1998.
Smith, Virginia. Clean: A History of Personal Hygiene and Purity. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2007.
3) Grant, Michael. The Roman Emperors. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1985. Print.
4) Scarre, Christopher. The Seventy Wonders of the Ancient World: The Great Monuments and How They Were Built. London: Thames & Hudson, 1999. Print.
The content of this project is based on the largest and most complete megalithic structure in Europe, The Stonehenge. It resides in center of the southern England; on the wide spread Salisbury Plains. It is said to be old approximately four thousand years, and it is even considered older than the Great Pyramids of Egypt. Standing there over such a long time, it has been the subject of research and mystery in general, for a really long time. Dozens of notable scientists, emperors and others expressed their admiration and interest through different means of explorations and excavations. There have been various theories on how it was built, and what the purpose of it was, and some of them are really intriguing and interesting such. Some thought it was built as a solar-lunar calendar, some said that it had medical purposes for the giants that had built it, it was considered a ceremonial place, temple of veneration, a portal and lastly but not less important, there were some associations of Stonehenge to the aliens. The two specific theories on the Stonehenge’s importance will be discussed and summarized in this essay. First theory comes from an astronomical stand point interpreted by Mr. Chris Witcombe, and the second theory might sound unusual when said the Stonehenge represents the human vulva, and this theory is interpreted by Anthony Perks(PhD) and Darlene Bailey(BA).
Hitchens, Christopher. The Elgin Marbles: Should They be Returned to Greece? London; New York: Verso, 1998.
Have you ever wondered why both the Panama Canal and the Great Wall of China are such iconic land marks for the countries they are in? It’s because of the magnitude of effort that took to create such massive structures. Hard work, blood, tears, sweat and certainly patience played part in the creation of such marvels. However the purpose behind each structure and the challenges builders faced during their construction is what truly sets them apart.
“The Roman Baths of Nimes” is written by Henri Cole as a way to express his desire to break free of conformity and social norms established by his environment. Furthermore, it can be regarded as a way to put an end to an internal battle by coming to terms with his true identity. A close reading of the poem helps expose the true message the poet attempts to convey to his reader.
Morey, William C. "Outlines of Roman History, Chapter 19." Forum Romanum. 1901. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. .
In larger cities, as the bath of Constantine was located in, the baths tended to draw on the ornate, generally with colonnades, arches, and large domes . The primary materials used would have been of stone, most likely large quantities of marble would be used for decoration on the walls, floor, and columns. A hypothetical citizen would not be entering the baths during the evening, as the baths would generally close at dusk, a citizen would instead arrive earlier in the day. a would most likely find themselves within a changing room called the apodyterium where they would disrobe. After disrobing, the citizen then had a wide selection of destinations which he could select from. Roman Baths being a social gathering provided all manners of entertainment. Depending upon the bath in question, amenities such as libraries, gardens, or lecture halls to name a few. The key portion of the baths however is the baths themselves. Inside the baths there was three primary baths. the citizen would generally transition from the hot bath "Calidarium" to the warm bath "Tepidarium", both of which used a heating system of lighting fires and channeling the hot air through the hypocaust, the area underneath the floor. then finally the citizen would make it to the unheated pool, the frigidarium, which was generally located in the center of the baths. Beyond bathing the citizen would have the ability to work out in the
Pompey the Great was awarded a triumph in 61 BC for his successful campaigns in the eastern Mediterranean, and following this he began work on a magnificent complex in the Campus Martius outside the city walls of Rome on the east bank of the Tiber River (Kleiner 56). The complex wa...
The Roman Pool at Hearst castle is a tiled indoor pool decorated with eight statues of Roman gods, goddesses and heroes. The pool appears to be styled after an ancient Roman bath such as the Baths of Caracalla in Rome c. 211-17 CE. The mosaic tiled patterns were inspired by mosaics found in the 5 C. Mausoleum of Galla Placidia in Ravenna, Italy (Kastner, p. I-261.) They are also representative of traditional marine monster themes that can be found in ancient Roman baths (Strong, p. 124.) The statues are rough copies of ancient Greek and Roman statues. One such copy represents the "Apoxyomenos." Statuary was used on a considerable scale in the Baths of Caracalla (Strong, p. 124.)
The Greeks, Usborne Publishing, London Woodford, Susan (1981) The Parthenon Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Beard, Mary (2002) The Parthenon Profile Books, London Bibliography – Websites = ==
Inside the marble-plated building, paintings and an array of ancient works of art adorn the otherwise monotonous walls of this ancient Roman museum. Perfectly handcrafted stone sculptures decorate even the door frames, creating an awe-inspiring sight as visitors come from far and wide to see the history of this vast empire. In the eastern wing of the museum, A group of student photographers gather round the ancient statue of a man who made his mark on history by creating the most fearsome empire in human history, all while setting the course for its inevitable destruction. The statue is of Augustus Caesar, the founder and first emperor of the Roman Empire. A man who, with an incredible lust for power, became the world’s most formidable ruler during his reign…
Marcel Le Glay, Jean-Louis Voisin, Yann Le Bohec. A History of Rome. West Sussex, UK: Wiley-Blackwell, 2009.
Chandler, Fiona, Jane Bingham, and Sam Taplin. The Usborne Internet-linked Encyclopedia of the Roman World. London: Usborne, 2001. Print.
Roma Secunda – the Romans’ Second Home | Suite101.com." Frances Spiegel | Suite101.com. 11 May 2011. Web. The Web.
"National Roman Museum - Palazzo Massimo Alle Terme." Soprintendenza Speciale per I Beni Archeologici Di Roma. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2014.
Damrosch, David, and David Pike. The Longman Anthology of World Literature. The Ancient World. Volume C. Second Edition. New York: Pearson/Longman, 2009. Print.