Roman marble bath, 150-250 CE

Ornately decorated marble baths like this one could only be afforded by wealthy Romans and were installed within private homes. Washing and cleansing were significant parts of everyday Roman life – at least for the elite in society.

Water was very often pumped directly into their homes to fill the bath, without having to carry it from the nearest well. While such facilities at home were limited to the few, most Romans would go to the public baths to wash and clean themselves where they could socialise while catching up with the gossip.