An Afternoon at the Baths of Caracalla

Summary by Krater

This video explores the history, architecture, and daily experience of the Baths of Caracalla in ancient Rome, examining their construction, layout, and social role through archaeological remains and historical reconstructions.

From the video

Answers: What were the Baths of Caracalla like in ancient Rome?

• Roman architecture
• Ancient Roman public baths
• Baths of Caracalla
• Imperial Roman history
• Archaeology of Rome

What it concludes

• The Baths of Caracalla stand as a powerful testament to the grandeur of Imperial Rome and its tradition of public bathing.
• Despite being planned by Septimius Severus, the baths were begun by Caracalla and completed by his successor Elagabalus and cousin Severus Alexander.
• A workforce estimated at 9,000 men cleared the site, erected the foundation platform, and completed the main bath building covering over 6 acres in only four years.
• The central halls of the Baths of Caracalla were as richly decorated as any palace or temple in the city, featuring polychrome marble, glass mosaic vaults, and hundreds of statues.