Amongst its ruins, Aizanoi has five ancient and still used bridges, two Turkish-style baths, column-lined promenades, a stadium, a gymnasium, a theatre and its great Temple of Zeus.
Aizanoi was an Ancient Greek city in western Anatolia. Located astride the River Penkalas, some 1000m above sea level, the city was an important political and economic centre in Roman times.
Settlement in the area is known from the Bronze Age. It changed hands between the Kingdoms of Pergamum and Bithynia, finally being bequeathed to Rome in 133 BC. Aizanoi’s monumental buildings date from the early Empire to the 3rd century.
Aizanoi became a Christian bishopric, with its bishop, Pisticus, being a participant at the First Countil of Nicaea in 325. The former city is no longer a bishopric, and is today listed by the Catholic Church as a titular see.
After the 7th century, Aizanoi fell into decline. Later, during Seljuk times, the temple hill was repurposed as a citadel.
The ruins of the city were discovered in 1824 by European travellers. Survey work in the 1830s and 40s was followed by thorough and systematic excavation conducted by the German Archaeological Institute from 1926.
This excavation was resumed in 1970, and is still ongoing, with archaeologists in January 2021 announcing that they have discovered a cache of 2,100-year-old Roman coins in a jug buried near a stream.
In 2012, the site was submitted for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Today, visitors can see the Temple of Zeus, which is situated prominently on a hill and was the city’s main sanctuary. Construction of the temple began under Emperor Domitian.
A theatre and stadium are built adjacent to each other, with their being combined into one complex being a feature that is unique in the ancient world.
There are also two baths – or ‘thermae’ – one which includes a palaestra and marble furnishings, and the other which contains a mosaic depicting a satyr and a maenad.
The remains of Aizanoi’s market, which features a circular macellum, is famed for being the first recorded place in the world where inflation was calculated. Recent excavations have also revealed the existence of a stoa, or covered walkway, and a large necropolis includes examples of door-shaped Phrygian tombstones.
In 2012 the site was submitted for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Though Aizanoi is well off the tourist beaten track, locals are friendly and happy to guide interested travellers round all of the historic sites of the historic site.
From the nearby city of Kutahya, Aizanoi is reachable in around 45 minutes by car along the Kütahya Uşak Yolu/D240.
Driving from Istanbul to Kutahya takes around 4 hours and 15 minutes, primarily along the Bursa Eskişehir Yolu/D200/E90.
]]>Once the largest ancient baths complex in the world, the Baths of Diocletian – or Terme di Diocleziano – was built between 298AD and 306AD in honour of the Roman Emperor Diocletian. Today, they are open to the public as part of the National Roman Museum in Rome, Italy.
The Aula Ottagona (Octagonal Hall), more commonly known as the Planetarium, has reopened. It is located in the western corner of the Baths of Diocletian and is of a square plan outside with an octagonal interior. The roof, which consists of a dome with eight ribs, was originally decorated with figured marbles and stuccoes which have now disappeared.
Its location between the calidarium (the hot plunge bath room) and the gymnasium and its lack of heating system has led to the assumption that the room served as a minor frigidarium (cold plunge room) for ablutions.
The hall has been remodelled and used for different purposes since 1878, when, along with the opening of the via Cernaia, it was isolated from the main complex. It was first used as a seat for the Gymnastics School, then as a room for Minerva film projections, then finally in 1928 it was the seat of the largest Planetarium in Europe.
Today, the remains of the baths can be seen over a wide area, with parts of the structure having been incorporated into other buildings, such as the Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri.
Today, a series of bronze and marble statues from the Baths of Diocletian and Caracalla are exhibited within Aula Ottagona as part of the National Roman Museum. These statues are copies of statues of Greek art which represent divinities, athletes and heroes, and are evidence of the masterpieces that once adorned the great Roman baths from the 2nd-4th centuries AD.
It is worth looking out for temporary exhibitions which are sometimes held at the site.
Other areas of the Baths of Diocletian can also be explored in the nearby Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri and Church of San Bernardo alle Terme.
From the centre of Rome, the baths are reachable in around 5 minutes via the Viale Luigi Einaudi and Viale Enrico de Nicola roads. By car, the baths take around the same amount of time via the same route. There is also an extensive public transport system for those travelling to see the baths from different parts of the city.
]]>The foundation of the city of Aventicum is probably related to the failed attempt at migration of the Helvetians in 58 BC and their forced return to their point of departure. The name of the city derives from that of the Celtic protective goddess Aventia. Aventicum was the capital of the Helvetii.
It is unclear as to exactly when Aventicum was founded, but it reached its peak between the 1st century BC and 5th century AD, during its time as capital of the region under Roman rule. At this point, it was home to some 20,000 inhabitants. Aventicum also became a colony of Rome or “colonia”, a prestigious accolade, in around 71AD.
The sites which can now be seen at the archaeological site of Aventicum are very well preserved and include a 2nd century amphitheatre which would have seated 16,000, some of the original city walls with a surviving tower (originally one of 73), a set of thermal baths and holy sites including a sanctuary and some temples.
From the end of Antiquity, the city served as a quarry, but several monuments still bear witness to its past grandeur.
Now located in the area known as Avenches, Aventicum offers visitors plenty of original sites to see. There is also a museum within the amphitheatre tower which explores the history of Aventicum and with finds from the site itself including daily tools, mosaics, sculptures and various items from the city’s time under the Romans.
Aventicum is around an hour and 15 minutes drive away from Geneva. There are good railway and public transport links to the area.
]]>Today, visitors to the Banys Arabs can see the two rooms of the remaining Arab baths. Interestingly, parts of the Banys Arabs are dated older than the site itself; for instance, some of the columns are from ancient Rome.
The Banys Arabs are virtually all that remain of the Arab city of Medina Mayurqa (now known as Palma). They were architecturally inspired by and built using materials from former Muslim, Byzantine, and Roman buildings. The baths are perfectly integrated into the gardens of the former orchard of the manor house Can Fontirroig.
The first mention of the existence of public baths in Girona date back to 1194. In 1285, the bath complex was partially destroyed during a siege by the troops of Philip III the Bold of France. In 1294, King James II rebuilt them.
In 1342, the baths were owned by Arnau Sarriera, the personal physician of Peter III the Ceremonious, and during the Middle Ages, some of the rooms were temporarily used as a mikveh by the city’s Jewish community.
In 1618, they were bought by a community of Capuchin nuns and used as part of their convent. It was not until the 19th century that they became an object of interest and study by early travellers, such as Alexandre de Laborde, who, through his extensive drawings and engravings, made their presence and appearance known to the whole world.
Due to heightening interest, Girona Provincial Council purchased the baths in 1929, and then supervised their restoration, opening them to the public in 1932.
Today, visitors from all over the world enjoy the intricate remains of the baths, with each column being a different shape owing to their coming from a variety of former Roman, Muslim, and Byzantine buildings.
It is also worth spending some time in the former orchard of Can Fontitroig manor house, and imagine the role that the baths would have played as part of the nobleman’s house. Both tourists and locals alike are known to bring a picnic there to enjoy.
The baths are reachable in 3 minutes by car from the centre of Palma, via Carrer d’En Morei. By foot, which is likely preferable in order to soak up all of the local architecture, it’s a 3 minute walk via Carrer de Santa Clara.
]]>It was the Emperor Septimius Severus who began building the Baths of Caracalla in 206 AD, but they are named after his son, the emperor Caracalla, who completed the works in 216 AD.
Comprised of a vast compound of red-brick buildings, the Baths of Caracalla would, like all ancient Roman baths, have been used for a variety of social functions and could accommodate thousands of visitors at any one time. As well as being where people gathered and bathed, the Baths of Caracalla would have had shops, libraries and galleries as well as other leisure facilities.
Used until they were destroyed by the Goths in the 6th century AD, they Baths of Caracalla were later exploited for their marble. However, due to their position slightly outside the centre of the city, the baths were never built over and have therefore survived in good condition.
Today, the hugely impressive remains of the Baths of Caracalla still offer a great insight into what would have been a social hub of the ancient Roman world. With the original walls still towering above and impressive black and white mosaics underfoot this amazing ancient ruin is one of the best preserved of its kind anywhere in the world. Audio guides are available to help explain the various rooms and chambers which can be explored.
However, the fun doesn’t stop there. For it is the recently opened underground sections which will really set your heart racing. An innocuous staircase will take you deep below ground to the tremendously well preserved tunnels and corridors which represent the unseen heart of this complex – where slaves and other workers would have scurried about to keep the waters heated and the customers happy.
Another hidden gem to be found in this underground wonder is one of the best examples of a Temple of Mithras to have survived today. Still containing the original mosaics and alter space this temple is a wonder in its own right.
The bath complex is in the south of central Rome: it’s a 5 or so minute walk from Circo Massimo metro stop to the baths, or a 20 minute walk to the mainline station Roma Porta S. Paolo. Bus route 160 stops nearby on Baccelli.
]]>Set out along the traditional model of a Roman baths complex, the Baths of Diocletian contained a frigidarium (cold room), tepidarium (warm room) and caldarium (hot room or steam room) as well as additional large bathing chambers, gymnasiums, and even a library. The baths themselves were a hugely impressive building project, particularly given how swiftly they were constructed. The majority of the water for the baths was supplied by the Acqua Marcia.
The key difference with other contemporary baths was simply a question of scale – it is believed that at their height the Baths of Diocletian could hold up to 3,000 people at a time.
Given the sheer size of the Baths of Diocletian, it is no surprise that the structure did not survive intact over the centuries. However, various elements of the baths survive – some standing as grand ruins, others having been incorporated into other buildings. It can therefore be difficult at times to distinguish between the original building, restored areas and more modern constructions built within the complex.
One of the key tourist attractions for those wishing to view the baths is the Museo Nazionale Romano – Terme di Diocleziano – which is part of the Rome National Museum (shown on map, above). The museum, which opened in 1889, was built within the Baths of Diocletian and contains several collections from the ancient world. Although the museum contains many interesting exhibits, it gives little insight into the original baths themselves.
Probably the best place to view the actual structure and to get an idea as to the original scale of the Baths of Diocletian, is by viewing the well-preserved Aula Ottagona. Also part of the Rome National Museum, it contains many artefacts found during the excavation. Though currently closed except when hosting an exhibition, it is the sheer scale and preservation of the structure that impresses most .
Other areas of the Baths of Diocletian can also be explored in the nearby Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri and Church of San Bernardo alle Terme.
From the centre of Rome, the baths are reachable in around 5 minutes via the Viale Luigi Einaudi and Viale Enrico de Nicola roads. By car, the baths take around the same amount of time via the same route. There is also an extensive public transport system for those travelling to see the baths from different parts of the city.
]]>The fort at Bearsden was likely constructed in the years following 140 AD, when the mighty Antonine Wall was installed into Scotland. Built almost two decades after Hadrian’s Wall, the Antonine Wall lay at the Roman Empire’s northwestern frontier across Scotland’s central belt, yet was only occupied for around 20 years before being abandoned in 160 AD.
The forts along the Wall were all linked by a road called the Military Way, and provided secure crossing points as well as living quarters for the soldiers stationed in the area. Included in these living quarters was one of the Romans’ most important buildings – the bath house.
The remains of Bearsden Roman Bath House give an insight into what these vital centres of communal life looked like, with features such as a changing room, cold room, two warm steam rooms and a hot dry room also an indicator of their vast size. Anything from socialising to forming business deals were undertaken in the bath houses, as well as a number of elaborate bathing rituals.
Though the rest of the fort at Bearsden has since been covered by houses, its eminent bath house survives. In the 1970s, several artefacts were uncovered at the site, such as the carved head of a goddess, a gaming board, and an inscribed building stone by the men of the 20th legion!
Today, the remains of Bearsden Roman Bath House – nestled amongst the surrounding housing estate – represent some of the best preserved Roman ruins along the Antonine Wall.
The layout of the bath house can still be made out, and each room has a small plaque detailing what it once served as. As well as the baths, the complex holds the ruins of a Roman latrine from which human remains were unearthed during its excavation!
Information boards dotted around the site present reconstructed images of how it once looked and operated, giving visitors a more realistic idea of where exactly they are standing. For those looking to view more of Britain’s Roman history, the New Kilpatrick Roman Wall Fort is also just across the road.
Bearsden Roman Bath House is located in Bearsden near Glasgow, on the A808 (Roman Road). There is parking a 5-minute walk away at the Roman Road Carpark, while buses run to the nearby Roman Road stop, a 6-minute walk away. The nearest train station is Bearsden, a 10-minute walk away.
]]>The base would have formed part of the Roman city of Aquincum, which served as the capital of the Roman province of Pannonia, reaching its peak around the 2nd century with as many as 40,000 inhabitants.
Originally settled by the Eravisci Celtic tribe, Aquincum later served as a Roman military camp (a castrum) within the border protection system called limes. The Romans established a base around 41-54 AD, with 500 cavalry and a legion of 6,000 men stationed there by 89 AD. The city grew around the Roman fortress, becoming the capital of the province Pannonia Inferior until the reforms of Diocletian, over 100 years later. Aquincum also became a colonia and headquarters for emperors travelling the frontier.
Within the military camp was a large complex of public baths, including some 50 rooms such as a gymnasium, sweat chamber, hot and cold water pools for the soldiers and their supporting community. An inscription found within the baths dates to the year 269, and refers to the Thermae Maiores meaning ‘Great Bath’. The baths were situated at the intersection of the fortress’ two main roads, their entrances stepping straight out onto the thoroughfares.
The ruins of these great baths were first uncovered in 1778, with one of the halls found during other excavations of Aquincum. The complex was further excavated in the 1980s to be preserved for display as part of the Roman Baths Museum in the Óbuda district of Budapest. The baths originally would have been around 15,000 square metres large, supplied with underfloor heating and plenty of soldiers eager to exercise and bathe.
Today, this archeological gem can be found just beyond the shore of the Danube, nestled within a concrete tangle of overpasses between massive Soviet-built housing blocks. Visitors will find information boards describing the history of the baths and their plan, and you can spend up to 2 hours wandering around the complex free of charge.
Approaching the baths, you can see the remains of Roman columns within the grassy slope leading into the nearby train station. Head down through the underground passage, lined with Roman stelae and busts, to travel back in time. You’ll reach a raised boardwalk from which you can access the bath complex.
If using public transport – by far the easiest way to get around the city – from central Pest, take the Soviet-era Metro Line 3 to Tram 1. Flórián tér is a stop on the Tram 1 line. From Flórián tér, Aquincum Archaeological park is about 1 km north and the Aquincum Military Amphitheater is about 1 km to the south.
]]>Originally part of an area called Epirus, Butrint has been occupied by the Greeks, the Romans, the Byzantines and the Venetians. As a result, Butrint offers a wealth of incredible archaeological structures, including a well preserved Greek theatre, fortifications which have been changed by each civilisation which occupied it, Roman public baths inside which lies a paleo-Christian baptistery and a 9th century basilica.
One of Butrint’s earliest sites is its sanctuary, which dates back to the 4th century and sits on its hill or ‘acropolis’. The sanctuary was named after the Greek god of medicine, Asclepius, and was a centre of healing. Butrint was abandoned during the Ottoman era when marshes started to emerge around it.
However, many of Butrint’s historical treasures remain intact and today the site attracts tourists from around the globe. The great thing about Butrint is the ability to trace the development of a succession of eras through its sites and structures, making it a microcosm of history.
With so much to see, including an onsite museum exploring the site’s history, a visit to Butrint National Park usually lasts around 3 hours.
Approximately 20 kilometres from the modern city of Saranda, Butrint is easily reached by bus. From the port of Saranda, the bus stop is found on foot: on exiting the port turn right and walk for about 220 metres until you see a roundabout with a huge tree in the middle. There is roughly one departure per hour and the bus takes about 30 – 40 minutes and costs 100 lek.
]]>Built in approximately 75 AD, Caerleon Roman Fortress was a vast 50-acre fortress at the Roman Empire‘s westernmost frontier, and was big enough to house upward of 5,000 soldiers.
Known as Isca, it was home to the Second Augustan Legion and was just one of three permanent Roman Legionary fortresses in Britain. Within the complex were a range of buildings vital to Roman life, including a grand bath house complete with cold pool, warm room heated by a hypocaust, and even an open-air swimming pool!
Also at Caerleon was a 6,000-seater amphitheatre begun in 90 AD, where audiences would gather to watch gladiators fight to the death with one another, or a host of exotic wild animals.
The fortress was in use for some 200 years, before it was demolished by either Carausius or Allectus, two usurpers who named themselves emperor of Britain and northern Gaul in separate decades of the late 3rd century. There may have been an occasional military presence in the 4th century, however it is likely that is was taken over by the surrounding vicus, or village population.
Today, the well-preserved ruins of Caerleon Roman Fortress offer a fascinating insight into life at a Roman fort on the edge of the Empire. Amongst the highlights are its huge bathhouse, amphitheatre (the most complete in Britain!) and the L-shaped barracks themselves.
Inside the Bath House museum, a range of artefacts are on display from archaeological digs of the site, including 88 gemstones recovered from the swimming pool’s drain – originating from jewellery worn by swimmers almost 2,000 years ago!
The nearby National Roman Legion Museum also contains a number of fascinating exhibits detailing finds and artefacts from the site.
Caerleon Roman Fortress is located in Caerleon in Wales, just north of the M4 on the B4236 road. The nearest train station is Newport, 4 miles away, from which a number of bus services can be taken into Caerleon, with the Caerleon PO stop a minute’s walk to the site. The amphitheatre is a short 5-minute walk from the main fortress site, turning off the High Street down Broadway.
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