TechnoTourist’s Engineering Expeditions

Author Sylvia Plath spoke wisely when explaining, "There must be quite a few things that a hot bath won't cure, but I don't know many of them." Since we all have work woes of our own, why not cure them here in the city of Bath, England?

Bath is the site of England's only natural, hot spring. This "sacred" spring was identified with the Roman goddess Minerva and became a fundamental part of the Roman baths in Britannia, the Latin name for the island of Great Britain. For thousands of years, hot water at a temperature of 460 C has risen at the rate of 240,000 gallons each day. To the Romans, this remarkable phenomenon could only be the work of the gods.

Some say that the Roman bath houses were also the work of the gods, but we engineers know better. The Romans' engineering marvels drew upon Bath's natural hot springs, but through a system of intricate pumps that provided cleanliness and relaxation for bathers. Even more impressively, most bath houses didn't have the luxury of a heated spring. Therefore, the Romans also became known for engineering the hypocaust system.

The hypocaust system worked by taking heat from a furnace room and allowing it to circulate underneath the floors and in the walls of the bath house rooms. This circulation provided the heat needed to warm the baths; the temperature was then controlled by the amount of wood used in the furnace.

In 1998, a group of engineers, architects, and archaeologists gathered to attempt to build and discover the secrets of an authentic Roman bath. This talented group had quite an arduous task. They had to find a building location, make the concrete, construct the bath house, and engineer a heating system.

It took 2 weeks to build just the foundation for the Roman bath. Then the group ran into problems such as inclement weather and weak mortar. Finally, from the solar heating, keystones, and heated floors, NOVA reconstructed a Roman bath in its entirety. As Roman bath expert Fikret Yegül explained, "This is the only scientific experiment that I know in the world that has recreated a model Roman bath truthfully, using ancient materials and ancient methods, as much as we could."

The attempt to build a Roman bath may have not been a relaxing experience; however, bathing is tranquil. The experience baths provide is a luxury we can thank our Roman ancestors for. The extravagance that baths provide is also a reason why bathing was a central aspect of Roman life. Bathing gave Romans the opportunity to socialize, exercise and relax. So let us partake as the Romans saw fit, and unwind after a long day of work and traveling.

Next Stop: Good Times on London Times

References:

http://www.romanbaths.co.uk/

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/lostempires/roman/builds.html

http://www.destination360.com/europe/uk/roman-baths.php

http://ancienthistory.suite101.com/blog.cfm/how_the_romans_warmed_the_baths

http://www.saidwhat.co.uk/keywordquotes/bath