Bathhouses in Iudaea/Syria-Palaestina and Provincia Arabia from Herod the Great to the Umayyads

One of the most significant aspects of Roman society was its bathing culture, and bathhouses are one of the most common types of construction found during excavations in the Roman world. This book presents the archaeological evidence of nearly 200 Roman-style bathhouses from the region of Iudaea/Syria-Palaestina and Provincia Arabia, constructed from the reign of Herod the Great to the end of the Umayyad rule. The bathing complexes of the Roman, Byzantine, and Early Islamic periods are analyzed as unified data with an unprecedented amount of detail, considering various parameters such as dating, setting, building techniques, materials, plans, and decorations. The book also explores the socio-cultural insights provided by this type of construction and updates the historical narrative of regional bathing facilities in the light of new information. The full raw data used for the study is provided in an expandable open-access online database.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 176 pages
Publication date: 05 June 2021
Publisher: Oxbow Books

Roman society was built on the foundation of a rich bathing culture, and bathhouses stand as one of the most significant categories of construction unearthed in the Roman world. The sheer abundance of surviving remains and their diverse regional variations make bathhouses invaluable for studying the local societies of the Roman-Byzantine period.

This comprehensive book presents an archaeological exploration of nearly 200 Roman-style bathhouses in the region of Iudaea/Syria-Palaestina and Provincia Arabia, situated within the provinces of the Roman East. These bathhouses were constructed from the reign of Herod the Great in the second half of the 1st century BCE to the end of the Umayyad rule in the mid-8th century CE.

For the first time, these bathing complexes, spanning from grand public thermae to intimate bathing suites, are analyzed as a unified dataset, encompassing an unprecedented level of detail. Various parameters, including dating, setting, building techniques, materials, plans, and decorations, are considered in the analysis. Typologies of bathhouses and their components are enriched by examining the socio-cultural insights offered by this unique type of construction.

The historical narrative of regional bathing facilities is revised in light of new information. The complete raw data utilized for this study is made accessible through an expandable open-access online database.

By delving into the archaeological evidence of these bathhouses, this book offers a valuable contribution to our understanding of Roman society, its cultural practices, and the architectural evolution of the region during the Roman-Byzantine period.

Weight: 644g
Dimension: 280 x 216 x 12 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781789256574