The natatio was 54 metres wide and 23 metres long. The swimming pool led to the frigidarium which was 59 metres in width and 24 metres in length, with a height of 41 m. The frigidarium had two pools on the north and south side, which linked the cold room to the natatio and the tepidarium. The tepidarium was a much smaller room and only served as a connection to the hottest room, the caldarium. The caldarium was a circular room, which was inspired by the Pantheon. Like the circular dome of the Pantheon, the caldarium was also built with a dome (cupola). The circular room was 35 metres in diameter, and was 44 metres tall. Exquisite gardens (xystus) that reflect the wealth and decadence of the Roman Empire surrounded the bathing complex, and the outdoor exercise area that also enclosed the bathing block was 400 meters wide and 328 meters long. Along the outside wall were numerous halls, some circular in shape. These exedrae served as meeting places for the bathers and offered a good view of the thermae’s extravagant gardens. The main materials used were Roman pozzolana (volcanic sand) mixed with quick lime to create Roman concrete. Marble was also used as a construction material as well as for decoration. Brick was also heavily used as an exterior skeleton of the base structure together with concrete. The water in the baths was provided by the aqua Nova Antoniniana aqueduct –named after Caracalla- which had its supply from another, more important aqueduct, the aqua Marcia. The baths’ water source came from a spring nearby, and thus the aqueducts were constructed to provide a continuous stream of water to the
The natatio was 54 metres wide and 23 metres long. The swimming pool led to the frigidarium which was 59 metres in width and 24 metres in length, with a height of 41 m. The frigidarium had two pools on the north and south side, which linked the cold room to the natatio and the tepidarium. The tepidarium was a much smaller room and only served as a connection to the hottest room, the caldarium. The caldarium was a circular room, which was inspired by the Pantheon. Like the circular dome of the Pantheon, the caldarium was also built with a dome (cupola). The circular room was 35 metres in diameter, and was 44 metres tall. Exquisite gardens (xystus) that reflect the wealth and decadence of the Roman Empire surrounded the bathing complex, and the outdoor exercise area that also enclosed the bathing block was 400 meters wide and 328 meters long. Along the outside wall were numerous halls, some circular in shape. These exedrae served as meeting places for the bathers and offered a good view of the thermae’s extravagant gardens. The main materials used were Roman pozzolana (volcanic sand) mixed with quick lime to create Roman concrete. Marble was also used as a construction material as well as for decoration. Brick was also heavily used as an exterior skeleton of the base structure together with concrete. The water in the baths was provided by the aqua Nova Antoniniana aqueduct –named after Caracalla- which had its supply from another, more important aqueduct, the aqua Marcia. The baths’ water source came from a spring nearby, and thus the aqueducts were constructed to provide a continuous stream of water to the