Thermae Thermae In ancient Rome, thermae (from Greek θερμός "thermos", "hot") and balneae (from Greek βαλανεῖον "balaneion") were facilities for bathing. "Thermae" usually refers to the large imperial bath complexes, while "balneae" were smaller-scale facilities, public or private, that existed in great numbers throughout Rome. Most Roman cities had at least one, if not many, such buildings, which were centres not only for bathing, but socializing, and reading as well. Roman bath-houses were also provided for private villas, town houses, and forts. They were supplied with water from an adjacent river or stream, or more normally, by an aqueduct. The water
Roman Empire there are houses, everywhere people, everywhere the "res publica", the commonwealth, everywhere life." The decline of cities and civic life in the 4th century, when the wealthy classes were unable or disinclined to support public works, was one sign of the Empire's imminent dissolution. In the city of Rome, most people lived in multistory apartment buildings "(insulae)" that were often squalid firetraps. Public facilities—such as baths "(thermae)", toilets that were flushed with running water "(latrinae)", conveniently located basins or elaborate fountains "(nymphea)" delivering fresh water, and large-scale entertainments such as chariot races and gladiator combat—were aimed primarily at the common