 Plan of the termae of Clunia "The Archs I" (press to enlarge) |
At researchs of Colonia Clunia Sulpicia can be found three different termal wholes very outstanding since an archaelogical perspective. Two of them -the greatest- are public and placd side by side: The Archs I and The Archs II-. A third one, probably for a private or restricted use, is close to the comitium.
Most important features of each whole are:
- "The Archs I", is the first one: a termal whole with a symmetrical design, i.e., its main rooms are duplicated and placed according to a longitudinal axis. Probably they were designed like that in order to destinate each section to a sex: men at right hand; women at left.
So entry was common: it was made by a semicircular porticated exedra. At both sides rooms were duplicated: a palestra with peristylum -porticated patio with columns-. It gave access to the apoterium or dressing-room. Behind them there was the frigidarium or cold swimming-pool and the tepidarium or tempered water. At the center of these rooms, behind the entry, there was a garden with the natatio or general swimming-pool. Behind this garden, communicated with
tepidarium there is a room for passing to the caldarium, a common room with two independent swimming-pools with warm water at each side. Reason for that was taking the greatest advantage to the warmth heating up just one room. At its left there is a circular room that could have been a sudatio or sauna. There were also toilettes and rooms for services to maintain the whole.
"The Archs I"
It should have been built at 1st century and have been used as baths up to the end of 3rd century, when its function changed until being left ca. 5th century.
