The immense private bathing establishment, buried under the ashes of the eruption of Vesuvius since the year 79, highlights the social inequalities of the time.
It is a sumptuous private bathing establishment, potentially one of the largest in the entire city, which was discovered by a group of archaeologists in Pompeii. At the heart of a large residence, hot, warm and cold rooms, but also works of art and a large swimming pool have been unearthed over the last two years. « A unique discovery of its kind »tells the BBC Sophie Hay, archaeologist in Pompeii, highlighting the existence of a class society within the ancient city.
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In the same neighborhood, a laundry, a bakery and a private house were built. They belong, according to archaeological studies, to a wealthy person: Aulus Rustius Verus, an influential politician from Pompeii. « There are only a few houses that have a private bath complex, so this was something truly reserved for the richest of the richexplained to the BBC Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the archaeological park of Pompeii. It is probably the largest bath complex in a private house in the city. »
Two bodies found
Two skeletons were found there under piles of ashes. One of the bodies, lying on a bed and curled up in the fetal position, belonged to a woman, aged 35 to 50. The second, in a corner of the room, is that of a younger man, aged around ten or twenty. Like 15,000 other Pompeians, these two residents were killed when a tsunami of superheated volcanic gases hit the city after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. « Pyroclastic flow from the volcano flowed down the street, just outside this room, and caused a wall to collapse, nearly crushing the man to deathstates Sophie Hay. The woman was still alive while he was dying and that room then filled with the rest of the pyroclastic flow, and that’s how she died. »
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According to the archaeologist, it was probably a person from high society. Maybe it was the owner’s wife? Or maybe a domestic helper? « We don’t know »she regrets. But elements confirm his belonging to a wealthy social class. From the body of the female skeleton, researchers recovered gold and silver coins, as well as jewelry. Among them are gold and natural pearl earrings, necklace pendants and semi-precious stones. « Parts shine like new »marvels archaeologist Alexandre Russo to the BBC.
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Sophie Haye wishes, however, to clarify that behind this Roman wealth, dozens of slaves lived and worked in conditions « unbearable ». The archaeologist takes, for example, the case of the boiler room, where the slaves had to operate an entire piping system to heat the water in the thermal complex. They then had to operate above a furnace which released significant quantities of heat. « What stands out most from these excavations is the stark contrast between the lives of slaves and those of the very, very rich. And we see it here, the difference between the lavish life of the bathhouse and the furnace room, where the slaves stoked the fire while working all day »explains Sophie Haye.
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Last weeks of excavations
Only a few Pompeians, even among the richest in the city, had the chance to use a thermal complex. Those who frequented the baths undressed in a changing room with red walls. Its floor was decorated with mosaics with geometric marble patterns from the Roman Empire. After going to the changing rooms, they headed towards the hot room where there was a sauna-like bath. After having oil applied to their bodies, they finally went to the frigidarium, the largest room of the thermal complex where 20 to 30 people could cool off at the same time in a swimming pool surrounded by red columns and frescoes. representing athletes.
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Last year, archaeologists discovered a large banquet hall with jet-black walls on which ancient works of art were displayed. A small and intimate room painted pale blue, which served as a prayer room for residents, had also been unearthed. The excavations are now entering their final weeks and new discoveries continue to emerge from the ashes of the thermal complex. The objective of the site is to ultimately open the doors of the places to the general public.
