Roman Bath

Lying in the heart of the city the Bath are remnants of ancient luxurious villas, baths and other important amenities of the ancient world that were constructed by the Romans around 70 AD. The remains of the now so-called ‘Roman Bath’ tells the story of seven thousand years of human activity in England.

Bathing was indeed a central part of the Roman society. It was the peak of ancient sophisticated leisure, and more importantly, of cleanliness. Long after the collapse of the Roman Empire, we know from historical records that even the most noble and high ranking people in the British society, or Europe for that matter, were distinctly grubby looking and smelly (why do you think the French created perfumes? LOL! The technological know-how of fragrance making grew out of that need to cover up the stench). Yes, the Romans were highly sophisticated, at least back at the pinnacle of the empire.

Roman baths and bathing culture influenced not just the spas and baths we know today. Where significant structures remain today, as in parts of England like Leicester (where the bones of Richard II were dug up and reburied at the Cathedral in 2012), and especially in Bath, they have become great visitor attractions. Bath, with its bathhouses restored almost close to its former glory, is probably the most famous of all ancient Roman baths. It also boasts of having the most intact Roman underground water system remaining in Europe today. The Romans did put importance on water and the engineering behind them, of bathing and cleanliness. The role of the baths in Roman life is significantly visible for anyone who visited this ancient Roman City of Bath in England.

Visitors to the city will find out what the Roman traditions and constructions have left, also about their way of life and the unique and fascinating history of baths and bathing.  Of course, the fate of these baths and the decline of the Roman Empire is a totally different story, and it’s something I won’t discuss here. 🙂 

I first visited Bath when my mother came for a visit in the summer of 2003. It is a fascinating place and has become one of my favourites cities in England. Anyone interested in ancient history and what the Romans have left for the British society today, I’d highly recommend they visit this ancient city. The Roman traditions and constructions, their way of life and the unique and fascinating history of baths and bathing are indeed remarkable. It’s such a beautiful place, the historical sites are all within a walking distance from one another, and you can visit them in one day. Also, the nearby towns and villages are very charming, so picturesque that they’re all ‘Instagram-worthy.’ I wanna share some photos of our last visit to Roman Bath, and I’d let the photos speak for themselves. 

The hotel we stayed in (Francis Hotel, part of Sofitel chain) has their bathrooms decorated with a massive Roman Bath photo as if they’re trying to make the guest imagine while they’re in the bathtub that they’re doing exactly what the Romans loved to do. LOL!

*Here’s another post about Bath, it’s history and architecture.