Listed 3 sub titles with search on: Information about the place for destination: "BATH Town ENGLAND".
Aquae Sulis (Bath) Avon, England.
Situated in a meander of the river Avon on low, marshy ground, ca. 20 km from
Bristol and 30 from the sea. The sole reason for a settlement in such a position
is the existence of the hot mineral water spring with its healing properties.
The settlement was founded ca. A.D. 75; it flourished throughout the
period of official imperial protection of Britain and probably for an indeterminate
period afterwards. The principal monument to be seen today is the vast bathing
establishment. Some parts were recognized during the 18th c., but it was mostly
uncovered in 1878-95 and 1922-25.
The hot spring, with a wall around it, served as a reservoir which
fed the various baths. The principal ones were the Great Bath (24 x 12 m and 1.65
m deep) with steps all around it and a lead-lined bottom; the Lucas Bath and a
rectangular bath later filled in; and at least one other bath which was later
replaced. A circular bath, 10 m in diameter and 1.4 m deep, was later inserted
into the large hall of the initial construction. To these were added an elaborate
series of Turkish and sauna baths, one series at each end, which reached their
maximum extent in the 4th c. A.D.
The whole establishment was large and architecturally splendid, as
was the other monument with which it was integrally arranged. This was the Temple
of Sulis Minerva, parts of which were found when the present Pump Room was built
in 1790-95; more has been discovered in excavations since 1964. This was a temple
of the Corinthian order, standing on a podium within a large colonnaded precinct.
It had a four-columned portico, and the cella behind covered the rear two-thirds
of the podium with Corinthian pilasters bordering it. The front pediment depicted
a bearded male Medusa head within a central shield bounded by oak leaves and acorns,
and supported by flying winged victories on either side; Tritons filled the corner
spaces. The podium proportions (2:1) were Vitruvius' ideal.
The temple precinct contained the usual clutter of altars, remains
of monuments, such as a frieze of the four seasons and other friezes and pediments.
Discovered in 1965 was a statue base inscribed with the name of one Lucius Marcius
Memor an Haruspex, apparently an important soothsayer. Another large public building
about which little is known may be a theater. This complex is unlike anything
else in Roman Britain and can best be paralleled in Mediterranean Gaul.
The remainder of the settlement is comparatively unexplored, largely
because of later building, but traces have been found of houses, or possibly hotels.
A bank and ditch defense was added in the middle of the 2d c. A.D.,
later replaced by a stone wall which stood almost intact, although repaired, until
1720. Little now survives. The enclosed area covered about 110,000 sq. m. The
stone used in all construction work was the local oblite limestone known as Bath
stone.
Finds from Aquae Sulis and vicinity are in the museum adjoining the
Roman baths. Notable are a gilt bronze head of Minerva, presumably from a cult
statue, and fine stone work from the baths and temple (including the temple pediment).
There is also a fine hoard of imported intaglios.
B.W. Owen, ed.
This text is from: The Princeton encyclopedia of classical sites,
Princeton University Press 1976. Cited Feb 2006 from
Perseus Project URL below, which contains 90 image(s), bibliography & interesting hyperlinks.
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