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 Thermae (Varna) and Baths of Diocletian in the imperial capital Rome and the baths of Trier. The thermae are the largest in the Balkan region and the biggest surviving ancient building in what is today Bulgaria. The Roman Thermae of Varna feature the whole range of facilities including a "apodyterium" (changing room), a "frigidarium" (cold pool), a "tepidarium" (warm pool) and a "caldarium" (hot pool) as well as a "palaestra" (a space with social and athletic functions). Heating was provided by means of a hypocaust, an underfloor heating system of pipes. Roman Thermae (Varna) The Roman Thermae (, "Rimski termi") are a