The Baths of the Varius (Scolastika)

     On the northern side of  Kuretes Street are the Baths of Varius, one of Ephesus’s largest bath houses. It was constructed in the 1st centruy A.D. and was discovered during excavation conducted in 1926. It is stands on a city block between Academia Street  and Bath Street. In this box complex near Kuretes Street, there is a small building called the Temple of Hadrianus and large store. Bath Street  which leads to the back of the theatre is 250 m.long and it is possiple to enter these baths  from these street. The plan of this bath house is typical of Roman bath architecture. From the gate in Bath Street, one enters the Bath of Varius and the chamber with an apse, including the dressing room and the entrance (apodyterium). There are nicheson the walls. In on of these niches, there isa statue of Scolastikia. The baths were repaired in 358, 365 and 368 in the early Christian period. There is another  entrance to these baths from east of the Temple of Hadrianus and the stairs from Kuretes Street. From the Apodyterium, there are entrances  to a small Frigidarium (Cold section), a large Tepidarium (Warm Section), the Caldarium (Hot Section), and the Sudatorium(Sweating Section). The water, brought to complex in clay pipes, was heated  in the Praefurnium(furnaces). At the same time the hot air from the Praefurnium provided the heat for the heated section of the baths, passing through the hypocaust system under the floor and in the gap between the walls and the marble revetments covering the wall. Then this hot air was released through the chimneys.