Baths of Trajan

The Baths of Trajan were an ancient bath complex in Rome and were built next to the Baths of Titus, which it henceforth with their size, so to speak, put in the shade. At the time of its inauguration on June 22, 109 AD, the Baths of Trajan were the largest thermal baths in Rome. They were later surpassed only by the Baths of Caracalla and the Baths of Diocletian. The plant was partially built on a wing of the Domus Aurea, the rooms were filled after a fire destruction in 104, to obtain a flat plane on the slopes of the Esquiline for the huge investment. Partial remained buried rooms of the Domus Aurea accessible as basement floors of the baths. As an architect, is suspected by an indication in Cassius Dio Apollodorus of Damascus, who, among other things planned for the Forum of Trajan Trajan.

The entire system had an area of ​​about 330 to 315 meters, the main building about 190 to 212 meters. The Baths of Trajan had in comparison to the previous imperial Thermenbauten first time a kind of park where stood the actual spas and was surrounded by an enclosure wall. The Emperor Caracalla and Diocletian copied this system then more or less by building similar thermal facilities. The Baths of Trajan are somewhat aligned differently than the Baths of Titus, to allow better utilization of solar radiation.

The entrance to the thermal baths formed a gateway to the north. Right and left of an open courtyard with a swimming pool ( natatio ) were mirror images of two parts of the building with halls, in the south of the courtyard, the actual bathing facility with caldarium, tepidarium and a basilica.

Today can be seen from the spa only slightly. In the park on the Oppio, one of the back of the Esquiline, some remains are still preserved. A reconstruction is possible through a preserved section of the Forma Urbis. A few years ago the enclosure were below the large, well-preserved western exedra discovered more remains of the Domus Aurea and used as a substructure for the overlying thermal baths wall a remarkable fresco of a fortified city.