The Harbour Baths

     This grand complex, in the North of Arkadiane Street, consisted of a bath, a gymnasium and a sports area. It was planned symmetrically along an east-west axis. Constructed started in the period of Domitianus; it was reconstructed after earthquake damage in 262 A.D. and it was finally complated in the 4th century A.D. “ Atrium termarum Constantianarum” is recoded on an inscription here, which is why this baths is called the “Baths of Constantius”. There is an entrance into a monumental court dating from Late Antiquity from the three- gate entrance in Arkadiane Street. Opposite the entrance to the South is an exedra adorned with statues. A pool was constructed in front of the exendra in Late Antiquity. There is a 45 m. entrance section in front of the bath. This structure was surrounded on three sides by a peristyle with mosaic pedestals. A large quantity of resued marble was employed in the pavement of the court. The relief elements of the Monment of Parth were amongst the reused materials. The stairs on the northern side, with two wreathed columns, opened into a hall. Right next to the stairs there was a fountain basin decorated with bull capitals on top and garlands between them. The aitrium by the side of the door has a three-naved plan. The outher walls of the atrium were separated into sections by brick pillars. The atrium provided entrance to the bath section to the North and the bath section was arranged symmetrically. There were three long spaces in the east of the bath. In the middle section there was the section (Frigidarium) with a huge, cold water pool (Natatio) inside and there were the adjacent rooms for dressing and resting (Apodyterium). There was an entrance from the cold section into the warm section (Tepidarium), and to the three central chambers amongst the nine in the middle section of the bath. The hot section (Caldarium) was a large chamber,  which stood on an outer ledge on the western front of the bath. It had large Windows facing West and six hot water pools in the niches on the wall. The three chambers on boths sides of the warm section (Tepidarium) were used for ball games, boxing, gymnastics, cosmetic work, body care and massage. The large number of insitu fixing elements on the walls and the floor of the chambers indicates they were covered by marble revetments. The bath was heated with hot air circulating under the pavement, termed a “Hypocaust”.