Baths of Diocletian

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The basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, built in the tepidarium of the baths

The church of San Bernardo alle Terme recycled an old circular tower at the southwestern corner of the perimeter wall of the baths, one of four towers defining its grounds.

The Baths of Diocletian (Thermae Diocletiani) in Rome were the grandest of the public baths, or thermae built by successive emperors. Diocletian's Baths, dedicated in 306, were the largest and most sumptuous of the imperial baths and remained in use until the aqueducts that fed them were cut by the Goths in 537. Similar in size and plan to those of Caracalla and oriented to the southwest so that solar energy heated the caldarium without affecting the frigidarium, they are well preserved because various parts later were converted to ecclesiastical or other use, including:

• Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri (in the tepidarium), whose three soaring transept vaults provide one of the few glimpses of the original splendor of Roman building
• the church of San Bernardo alle Terme (in one of the two circular rooms)
• in the main hall, part of the Museo Nazionale Romano (National Roman Museum)
• the 'octagonal aula', also now part of the National Roman Museum.

Other remains of the baths are visible several streets away.

[edit] See also

• Baths of Caracalla
• Baths of Titus
• Baths of Trajan

[edit] Compared to the Baths of Caracalla

The Baths of Diocletian accommodated 3,000 bathers, almost twice as many as the Baths of Caracalla. It was also approximately twice as large.

[edit] External links

• Media on Thermae of Diocletian in the Wikicommons.
• Baths of Diocletian
• Baths of Diocletian at Encyclopaedia Romana
• Thermae Diocletiani, article in Platner's Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome
• Satellite image of the baths.