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Regio IV - Insula II - Terme del Faro (IV,II,1)
(Baths of the Lighthouse)

The Baths of the Lighthouse were erected in the late-Trajanic or early-Hadrianic period (opus latericium), but greatly modified in later times. The first modifications took place in the period Antoninus Pius - Marcus Aurelius. The raised floors (suspensurae) in the heated rooms were rebuilt during the reign of Caracalla (211-217 AD), and to this period also belong the mosaic floors, paintings and stucco decoration. A few walls and blockings of doorways in the east part of the building have been dated to c. 275-300 AD (opus latericium and vittatum). In the fourth or fifth century the heated rooms were decorated with (reused) marble. Coins and repairs of the waterpipes show that the building was still in use in the fifth century. From stamps on the lead waterpipes (fistulae) can be deduced that there were three changes of ownership: the baths were owned by Roman senators and for some time by Cornificia, either the sister or the daughter of Marcus Aurelius.

The building was entered from the Cardo Maximus, through vestibule 1. To the south-east are two shops, to the north-west is a bar (2), that could be visited from the vestibule and the Porticus of Hercules (IV,II,2). A narrow door in the back wall was blocked at the end of the third century. The bar-counter is in the north corner. It has a protruding water-basin, and was decorated with marble. In the north-west corner are the remains of two marble shelves, supported by a brick pier. On the floor is a simple mosaic of black and white tesserae. In the room a mortar was found.



Plan of the baths. After SO I.

Beyond the vestibule are two dressing-rooms (apodyteria 3a and 5). On the floor of the south-eastern apodyterium is a black-and-white mosaic with marine monsters and animals, and a depiction of the lighthouse of Portus. The lighthouse is usually depicted as having four storeys, but here a fifth has been added. To the south-east is a large latrine (6). There is no palaestra. The vestibule leads directly to a large cold bath (frigidarium 3b), with masonry benches. The roof was supported by brick piers. In the south-east part is a large basin (piscina 7). On the opposite side is a small frigidarium with a marble basin (10). Above the basin are large figurative paintings from the early third century. To the left is Venus in a shell, carried by Tritons and a Nereid. To the right is Europa, carried to Crete by a bull, a disguise of Jupiter - which is the usual interpretation, but according to Paul Meyboom it is a Nereid (cf. Mols 1999, note 101).

In room 12 are remains of stucco reliefs, high up on the wall. Fragments were found of stucco reliefs decorating ceilings. In the west part of the building are the heated rooms (13-15). Marble benches were set against the walls of room 13, surrounding a black-and-white mosaic with marine monsters, Nereids, and an amorino on a dolphin. Beyond the heated rooms is the service area with furnaces (16, 18-19). To the north is a huge cistern that served the baths (21). A staircase set against its outer wall led to it.

In and behind the building parts of statues were found in late June and early July 1940. Some of these may well come from the baths:
- The lower part of a statue of a boy holding a goose (inv. nr. 995; GdS nr. 421; very similar to 997).
- A headless statuette of Hercules, decoration of a fountain (inv. nr. 318; GdS nr. 417).
- A headless statue of Priapus (inv. nr. 976; GdS nr. 419).
- A headless statue of a female deity, perhaps Amphitrite (inv. nr. 956; GdS nr. 420).
- A headless statue of Venus (inv. nr. 958; GdS nr. 422).
- A headless statue of Venus (inv. nr. 989; GdS nr. 411).
- A portrait of an elderly woman (no inv. nr. is mentioned, but it is most likely inv. nr. 59, found "to the west of the Caupona del Pavone (IV,II,6)" on July 5 1940; GdS 26, 132-134 and GdS 28, 143, nr. 418).

Photos



Bar 2, seen from the north-east. Photo: Jan Theo Bakker.


The bar-counter in room 2, seen from the south. Photo: Jan Theo Bakker.


Frigidarium 3b, seen from the west. Photo: Jan Theo Bakker.


The piscina in frigidarium 3b, seen from the north-west.
Photo: Klaus Heese.


Detail of the north part of the piscina in frigidarium 3b, seen from the south-west.
Photo: Jan Theo Bakker.


The mosaic in room 3a. Photo: Scavi di Ostia IV, Tav. CLXIV.


The painting in room 10: a Triton (left) and Europa on the bull.
Photo: Klaus Heese.


Detail of Venus carried by Tritons.
Photo: Flickr, Hyspaosines.


Detail of Europa and the bull.
Photo: Klaus Heese.


Stucco decoration in room 12. Photo: Jan Theo Bakker.


A staircase leading to cistern 21, seen from the east.
Photo: Jan Theo Bakker.


Cistern 21 seen from inside, from the north-east.
Photo: Jan Theo Bakker.


Left. Statue of Priapus.
Museo Ostiense, inv. nr. 976. Photo: ICCD E049890.

Top. Statue of Hercules, decoration of a fountain.
Museo Ostiense, inv. nr. 318. Photo: ICCD E049896B.


Statue of a female deity, perhaps Amphitrite.
Museo Ostiense, inv. nr. 956. Photo: Photo: Stoeger 2011, fig. 5.24.
Statue of Venus.
Museo Ostiense, inv. nr. 958. Photo: Photo: Stoeger 2011, fig. 5.23.		  

[1] For details see Geremia Nucci 2000, 403-404 and Stoeger 2011, 83-85, with reference to the pages in the Giornale degli Scavi.
[jthb - 12-Mar-2023]