HADRIAN BATHS

(126-127 Apr. ). By visiting the magnificent ruins of these no less fabulous thermal baths, we must remember their pattern of use by the Romans. We déshabillait in the apodyterium (locker, separate for men and women), then the men went to the palaestra doing exercise. After récurés with a strigile, a curved horn or metal tool, they would refresh themselves in the open swimming pool of the aquatics, at the beginning (north) of the thermal baths. Then began the bath circuit: first the swimming pools of the frigidarium or cold bath, then the tepidarium or warm bath, finally the caldarium or hot bath, at the bottom (south) of the building. The thermal baths were an important place in social life, where people met, and a popular place for the discussions of scholars, who could also consult the library.

On both sides, latrines, separated for men and women, with marble seats, are well preserved. In the frigidarium, behind aquatics, four of the eight giant terrazzo columns supported a vaulted roof covered with mosaics. Some of these fine mosaic mosaics in basalt, sandstone, glass and marble are preserved a little further in one of the apodyterium. You will cross three other columns of the eight columns following your visit, lying on the seashore (north-east of the temple of Serapis): Consul Claude Lemaire left them there in the th century, because he had found the way to have them transported to King Louis XIV's ship to France!

The caldarium had a heating system by hypocauste. The air was heated thanks to a wood-powered oven with slaves. He was walking in a cavity supported by stacked bricks that wore the ground. Sandales were worn so that they wouldn't burn in the soil. The warm air then went into hollow brick ducts in the walls. This system can still be observed in the remains of the laconicum or the steam bath for men on the side of the caldarium.

A hundred statues were discovered in Hadrian's thermal baths, which were distributed between the Tripoli Museum and the Leptis Magna Museum.