VII .5.24 Pompeii. Terme del Foro or Forum
Baths.
Quick Outline
This page has been
created to give a quick appreciation of the main rooms and areas of the Forum
Baths without the need to navigate the many detailed
pages of photographs.
Detailed Photos
If you are interested to see the house in more
detail, the rooms are shown in much greater detail in the subsequent parts.
Men’s Baths
VII.5.24 Entrance from Via del Foro VII.5.2
Entrance from Via delle Terme Forum Baths Plan
Women’s Baths
VII.5.8 Entrance from Via delle Terme
Other areas
VII.5.7 boiler room and praefurnium VII.5.10
Entrance to storage courtyard VII.5.12 Entrance to courtyard and portico from Vicolo
delle Terme
VII.6.17 Water Reservoir. Stairs to lower parts VII.6.18 Water
Reservoir. Stairs to upper parts
This leads to the
men’s baths and the courtyard with portico (see plan).
According to
Fiorelli-
VII.5.18-29. One
sees a series of large shops topped with higher floors, amongst which was the
doorway leading to the garden of the Men’s Baths.
They have no
particularity of construction, but were found rich in objects, some of which
would have fallen from the upper floors.
(Vedesi una serie di grandi botteghe già
sormontate da altro piano, tra le quali era l’adito (n.24) portante al giardino
al bagno virile. Esse non hanno particolarita di
costruzione, ma furon trovate ricche di oggetti,
alcuni dei quali caduti dai cenacoli superiori.)
See Pappalardo, U., 2001. La Descrizione di Pompei per Giuseppe
Fiorelli (1875). Napoli:
Massa Editore. (p.96).
VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021.
Looking west into Courtyard 5, from end of Corridor
10.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Looking south-west across courtyard (5).
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269
DÉCOR.
VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Looking towards north portico (7).
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269
DÉCOR.
VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Looking north-east across courtyard (5), from south-west corner.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269
DÉCOR.
VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021.
Entrance corridor (13) leading north from
courtyard (5) to men’s baths.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Apodyterium or changing room (14), looking north from south-west
corner.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269
DÉCOR.
VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Looking south across apodyterium or changing room (14).
Centre left is the
doorway in the south-east corner leading into corridor 13 towards the
garden/courtyard area.
Centre right is the
doorway in the south-west corner which led into the frigidarium (19).
On the right is the
doorway into tepidarium (37).
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269
DÉCOR.
VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Looking towards south-east corner
along east wall of changing
room (14) with benches.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269
DÉCOR.
VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Looking towards west wall in
south-west corner of apodyterium
(14).
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269
DÉCOR.
South-west corner
of apodyterium (14) and doorway to frigidarium
(19). Photo courtesy of Marina Fuxa.
Doorway to
frigidarium (19), looking south. Photo courtesy of Marina Fuxa.
VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021.
Looking south from doorway towards frigidarium (19) and niches (20).
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269
DÉCOR.
VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021.
Doorway into tepidarium 37, in west
wall of changing room (14).
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269
DÉCOR.
VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Tepidarium (37), looking north.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269
DÉCOR.
VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Tepidarium (37), looking towards south end, with doorway into Caldarium
(39), on right.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269
DÉCOR.
VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Tepidarium (37), east wall of ceiling
stucco in south-east corner.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269
DÉCOR.
VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Tepidarium (37), detail of upper
ceiling of south end.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269
DÉCOR.
VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Tepidarium (37), west wall of ceiling
stucco in south-west corner.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269
DÉCOR.
VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Looking south-east towards bronze bench and brazier (38) in south end
of tepidarium (37).
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269
DÉCOR.
During the
mid-first century AD, Marcus Nigidius Vaccula donated 3 bronze benches and a
bronze brazier heater to the Tepidarium.
He also gave a
similar bronze brazier to the Stabian Baths.
See Cooley, A. and
M.G.L., 2004. Pompeii: A Sourcebook.
London: Routledge. (p.81).
See Berry, J.,
2007. The Complete Pompeii. London:
Thames & Hudson. (p.152).
VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Second bronze bench next to brazier (38) in tepidarium (37).
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269
DÉCOR.
![VII.5.24 Pompeii. December 2007. Detail of engraved Inscription on bronze bench in tepidarium (37). “M. Nigidius Vaccula P. S.” or “Marcus Nigidius Vaccula at his own expense”. [CIL X 818] See Cooley, A. and M.G.L., 2004. Pompeii : A Sourcebook. London : Routledge. (p.81/2)](7%2005%2024%20quickie_files/image029.jpg)
“M. Nigidius
Vaccula P. S.” or “Marcus Nigidius Vaccula at his own expense”. [CIL X 818]
See Cooley, A. and
M.G.L., 2004. Pompeii: A Sourcebook.
London: Routledge. (p.81/2).
VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021.
Caldarium (39), looking east through
doorway into tepidarium (37)
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269
DÉCOR.
VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021.
Caldarium (39),
looking towards north end with marble hot bath (42), with doorway from
tepidarium (37), on right.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269
DÉCOR
VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Caldarium (39), looking north towards
hot bath.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269
DÉCOR.
VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Caldarium (39), looking south.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269
DÉCOR.
VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Caldarium (39), looking south towards
marble basin.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269
DÉCOR.
VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Caldarium (39), looking south to marble basin or labrum (41) in alcove.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269
DÉCOR
![VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Large marble basin or labrum (41) in apse of caldarium (39).
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
In AD3-4, the duumvirs had a large marble basin set up in the hot room (caldarium).
Written around the rim in bronze letters is an inscription -
Cn(aeo) Melissaeo Cn(aei) f(ilio) Apro M(arco) Staio M(arci) f(ilio) Rufo IIvir(is) iter(um) i(ure) d(icundo) labrum ex d(ecreto) d(ecurionum) ex p(ecunia) p(ublica) f(aciendum) c(uraverunt) constat HS V(milia)CCL [CIL X 817]
Cooley translates this as:
“When Gnaeus Melissaeus Aper, son of Gnaeus, and Marcus Staius Rufus, son of Marcus, were duumvirs with judicial power for the second time, they saw to the making of the basin, by decree of the town councillors, at public expense. It cost 5,250 sesterces.” [CIL X 817 = ILS 5726]
See Cooley, A. and M.G.L., 2004. Pompeii: A Sourcebook. London: Routledge. (p.81)
According to Berry, this recorded that it had been added in AD 3-4 by the duumvirs Gaius Melissaeus Aper and Marcus Statius Rufus.
“Gnaeus Melissaeus Aper, son of Gnaeus, and Marcus Statius Rufus, son of Marcus, duumvirs for lawsuits for the second time, had this labrum made at public expense by decree of the town councillors. It cost 5,250 sesterces”. [CIL X 817]
See Berry, J., 2007. The Complete Pompeii. London: Thames & Hudson. (p.152)](7%2005%2024%20quickie_files/image036.jpg)
VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Large marble basin or labrum (41) in apse of caldarium (39).
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269
DÉCOR.
In AD3-4, the
duumvirs had a large marble basin set up in the hot room (caldarium).
Written around the
rim in bronze letters is an inscription -
Cn(aeo) Melissaeo
Cn(aei) f(ilio) Apro M(arco) Staio M(arci) f(ilio)
Rufo IIvir(is) iter(um) i(ure) d(icundo)
labrum ex d(ecreto) d(ecurionum)
ex p(ecunia) p(ublica) f(aciendum) c(uraverunt) constat HS V(milia)CCL
[CIL X
817]
Cooley translates
this as:
“When Gnaeus
Melissaeus Aper, son of Gnaeus, and Marcus Staius
Rufus, son of Marcus, were duumvirs with judicial power for the second time,
they saw to the making of the basin, by decree of the town councillors, at
public expense. It cost 5,250
sesterces.” [CIL X 817 = ILS 5726]
See Cooley, A. and
M.G.L., 2004. Pompeii: A Sourcebook.
London: Routledge. (p.81)
According to Berry,
this recorded that it had been added in AD 3-4 by the duumvirs Gaius Melissaeus
Aper and Marcus Statius Rufus.
“Gnaeus Melissaeus
Aper, son of Gnaeus, and Marcus Statius Rufus, son of Marcus, duumvirs for
lawsuits for the second time, had this labrum made at public expense by decree
of the town councillors. It cost 5,250 sesterces”. [CIL X 817]
See Berry, J.,
2007. The Complete Pompeii. London:
Thames & Hudson. (p.152)
VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Caldarium (39), looking south along west wall.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269
DÉCOR.
VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Caldarium (39), looking towards east
wall with doorway into
tepidarium (37).
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269
DÉCOR.