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Regio I - Insula XVII - Terme del Mitra (I,XVII,2)

The Baths of Mithras (excavated in 1939-1940) were built in the Hadrianic period (opus latericium) and modified in the first quarter of the fourth century (opus latericium and vittatum). To the east of the building was an arcade of eleven arches, that later became part of the baths. The main entrance to the building is on the east side and leads to room H, an apodyterium or vestibule. Behind that are large halls (F-G), the function of which is unknown. Room E, with niches and a basin in the west part, was a frigidarium. Here a mosaic of Ulysses and the Sirens was found. To the east is a small basin (I). Room D was a tepidarium, room B a sudatorium, later extended with an apse containing a basin. The southernmost room (A) was a caldarium, with two rectangular basins (a later addition). The building was decorated with two imagines clipeatae, shields with portraits. The portraits were made c. 100 AD and probably depict members of the family that had financed the baths.

The underground service area is preserved very well. In the south part of the ground floor of the building (to the south of room A) is a narrow corridor, to the south of which is a room for a waterwheel. Wear-marks are visible on the side walls. The wheel had a diameter of 7.25. It was operated by a slave and lifted ground water to a cistern. The output was 1000 litres per hour (a basin in the caldarium held 1500 litres). Later a second wheel was added at a higher level: water was raised to the top floor of the baths. Also in the underground area a statue of Vulcanus was found in a niche, apparently a fountain, in which the statue clearly does not belong.

In the north part of the building (room G) is a staircase leading to the service area. Here a mithraeum was installed (opus vittatum) in the late second or early third century. The cult statue of Mithras, about to kill the bull, was found in situ, and a plaster cast has been placed in the shrine. Light falls on the statue in a dramatic way, through an opening in the ceiling, as it did in antiquity. In the north-east part of the service area is a tiny fullery.

In late antiquity the building was no longer heated: tubuli were taken from the walls and furnaces were filled in. The basins of the caldarium were filled with cold water. The various basins and fountains may now have been used for baptizing: a Christian oratory was installed in room G.

Plan of the baths

Plan of the baths. From Heres 1982, fig. 77.

Photographs, drawings, and plans



The preserved ruins of the baths, from the south-west. Photograph: Jan Theo Bakker.


The preserved ruins of the baths. North is to the right. From Nielsen-Schioler 1980, fig. 4.


The interior of the west half of the building, seen from the south (room B).
Photograph: Jan Theo Bakker.



Detail of the mosaic of Ulysses and the Sirens in room E:
a Siren, with a winged female upper body and a bird's tail and feet,
holding a lyre in her hand. SO IV, Tav. 106.



Detail of the mosaic of Ulysses and the Sirens in room E:
the upper part of Ulysses' boat (sail and flag on top of the mast).
SO IV, Tav. 106.



The imagines clipeatae. From Pensabene 2001, figs. 5-6.


Plan of the service area. North is to the right. From Nielsen-Schioler 1980, fig. 1.
The niche in which the statue of Vulcanus was found is in the south-west part and marked X.
The fullery is in the north-east part and marked Ful/Ful. The mithraeum is in the north-west part.



Room for a waterwheel in the south part of the building. Photograph: Jan Theo Bakker.


Reconstruction drawing of the waterwheels in the south part of the building.
From Scrinari-Ricciardi 1996, I, fig. 236.

[jthb - 1-Mar-2003; for this page I would like to thank Gali Adler and Bouke van der Meer]