VII.5.24 Pompeii. Terme del Foro or Forum Baths.

Quick Outline

This page has been created to give a quick appreciation of the main rooms and areas of the Forum Baths without the need to navigate the many detailed pages of photographs.   

Detailed Photos

If you are interested to see the house in more detail, the rooms are shown in much greater detail in the subsequent parts.

Men’s Baths

VII.5.24 Entrance from Via del Foro      VII.5.2 Entrance from Via delle Terme      Forum Baths Plan

Women’s Baths

VII.5.8 Entrance from Via delle Terme

Other areas

VII.5.7 boiler room and praefurnium      VII.5.10 Entrance to storage courtyard      VII.5.12 Entrance to courtyard and portico from Vicolo delle Terme

VII.6.17 Water Reservoir. Stairs to lower parts      VII.6.18 Water Reservoir. Stairs to upper parts

VII.5.24 Pompeii. December 2005. Forum Baths entrance (12 on plan).

This leads to the men’s baths and the courtyard with portico (see plan).

According to Fiorelli-

VII.5.18-29. One sees a series of large shops topped with higher floors, amongst which was the doorway leading to the garden of the Men’s Baths.

They have no particularity of construction, but were found rich in objects, some of which would have fallen from the upper floors.

(Vedesi una serie di grandi botteghe già sormontate da altro piano, tra le quali era l’adito (n.24) portante al giardino al bagno virile. Esse non hanno particolarita di costruzione, ma furon trovate ricche di oggetti, alcuni dei quali caduti dai cenacoli superiori.)

See Pappalardo, U., 2001. La Descrizione di Pompei per Giuseppe Fiorelli (1875). Napoli: Massa Editore. (p.96).

VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021.

Looking west into Courtyard 5, from end of Corridor 10.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Looking south-west across courtyard (5).

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Looking towards north portico (7).

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Looking north-east across courtyard (5), from south-west corner.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021.

Entrance corridor (13) leading north from courtyard (5) to men’s baths.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Apodyterium or changing room (14), looking north from south-west corner.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Looking south across apodyterium or changing room (14).

Centre left is the doorway in the south-east corner leading into corridor 13 towards the garden/courtyard area.

Centre right is the doorway in the south-west corner which led into the frigidarium (19).

On the right is the doorway into tepidarium (37).

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Looking towards south-east corner along east wall of changing room (14) with benches.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Looking towards west wall in south-west corner of apodyterium (14).

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.5.24 Pompeii. March 2012.

South-west corner of apodyterium (14) and doorway to frigidarium (19). Photo courtesy of Marina Fuxa.

VII.5.24 Pompeii. March 2012.

Doorway to frigidarium (19), looking south. Photo courtesy of Marina Fuxa.

VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021.

Looking south from doorway towards frigidarium (19) and niches (20).

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021.

Doorway into tepidarium 37, in west wall of changing room (14).

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Tepidarium (37), looking north.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Tepidarium (37), looking towards south end, with doorway into Caldarium (39), on right.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Tepidarium (37), east wall of ceiling stucco in south-east corner.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Tepidarium (37), detail of upper ceiling of south end.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Tepidarium (37), west wall of ceiling stucco in south-west corner.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Looking south-east towards bronze bench and brazier (38) in south end of tepidarium (37).

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

During the mid-first century AD, Marcus Nigidius Vaccula donated 3 bronze benches and a bronze brazier heater to the Tepidarium.

He also gave a similar bronze brazier to the Stabian Baths.

See Cooley, A. and M.G.L., 2004. Pompeii: A Sourcebook. London: Routledge. (p.81).

See Berry, J., 2007. The Complete Pompeii. London: Thames & Hudson. (p.152).

VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Second bronze bench next to brazier (38) in tepidarium (37).

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.5.24 Pompeii. December 2007. Third bronze bench in tepidarium (37).

VII.5.24 Pompeii. December 2007. Detail of engraved Inscription on bronze bench in tepidarium (37).

“M. Nigidius Vaccula P. S.” or “Marcus Nigidius Vaccula at his own expense”. [CIL X 818]

See Cooley, A. and M.G.L., 2004. Pompeii: A Sourcebook. London: Routledge. (p.81/2).

VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021.

Caldarium (39), looking east through doorway into tepidarium (37)

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021.

Caldarium (39), looking towards north end with marble hot bath (42), with doorway from tepidarium (37), on right.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR

VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Caldarium (39), looking north towards hot bath.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Caldarium (39), looking south.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Caldarium (39), looking south towards marble basin.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Caldarium (39), looking south to marble basin or labrum (41) in alcove.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR

VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Large marble basin or labrum (41) in apse of caldarium (39).

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

In AD3-4, the duumvirs had a large marble basin set up in the hot room (caldarium).

Written around the rim in bronze letters is an inscription -

Cn(aeo) Melissaeo Cn(aei) f(ilio) Apro M(arco) Staio M(arci) f(ilio) Rufo IIvir(is) iter(um) i(ure) d(icundo) labrum ex d(ecreto) d(ecurionum) ex p(ecunia) p(ublica) f(aciendum) c(uraverunt) constat HS V(milia)CCL      [CIL X 817]

Cooley translates this as:

“When Gnaeus Melissaeus Aper, son of Gnaeus, and Marcus Staius Rufus, son of Marcus, were duumvirs with judicial power for the second time, they saw to the making of the basin, by decree of the town councillors, at public expense.  It cost 5,250 sesterces.”  [CIL X 817 = ILS 5726]

See Cooley, A. and M.G.L., 2004. Pompeii: A Sourcebook. London: Routledge. (p.81) 

According to Berry, this recorded that it had been added in AD 3-4 by the duumvirs Gaius Melissaeus Aper and Marcus Statius Rufus.

“Gnaeus Melissaeus Aper, son of Gnaeus, and Marcus Statius Rufus, son of Marcus, duumvirs for lawsuits for the second time, had this labrum made at public expense by decree of the town councillors. It cost 5,250 sesterces”.  [CIL X 817]

See Berry, J., 2007. The Complete Pompeii. London: Thames & Hudson.  (p.152)

VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Caldarium (39), looking south along west wall.  

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.5.24 Pompeii. August 2021. Caldarium (39), looking towards east wall with doorway into tepidarium (37).

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.