The Roman Baths are a well-preserved thermae - the term “thermae” refers to large Roman imperial bath complexes - in the city of Bath, England. The water for the natural hot spring here comes from rainfall on the nearby hills, which then percolates down through limestone to the aquifers below. Geothermal energy heats the water in the aquifers to as high as 205 °F. Under pressure, the heated water rises along fissures and faults in the limestone, until it bubbles up from the ground into the baths. The hot water rises here at the rate of 257,364 gallons every day. Archaeological evidence indicates that the site of the baths may have been a center of worship used by the early inhabitants of Britain. A temple was constructed on the site between 60-70AD in the first few decades of the Roman occupation. The presence of the hot spring led to the development of the small Roman urban settlement known as Aquae Sulis around the site - today the city of Bath. At their peak, the baths where enclosed in a large vaulted ceiling and included a caldarium (hot bath), tepidarium (lukewarm bath), and a frigidarium (cold bath). Interestingly, about 130 curse tablets have been found at the site. A curse tablet is a small tablet with a curse written on it during the days of the Roman Empire. The tablets were used to ask the gods, spirits, or the deceased to perform an action on a person. Many of the curses are related to thefts of clothes whilst the victim was bathing. #uk #romanbaths #bathuk #romanruins #romanbritain (at Bath, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTPPF4sDltN/?utm_medium=tumblr












