Patara Nero Hamamı

A website in Turkish about the excavations has, translated and condensed: Patara Nero Bath takes its name given by modern researchers from the building inscription on one of the doors that provides the passage between the frigidarium (cold) and tepidarium (warmness). The name of Vespasian, who became Emperor in 69 AD was written there later. In antiquity, at least in the 2nd century AD, this bath was probably known by the Patara people as the "Bath in the Agora", it is in its northeast corner. The Nero Bath, built in the 60s AD, is one of the earliest Roman baths in Anatolia. Buildings for daily use, such as baths, including fire and water, are subject to repairs and changes at regular intervals throughout their lives. Nero Bath has also been the address of such activities for several centuries when it was in use. In the light of current studies, we can say that the bath consisted of only two rooms at the beginning: the caldarium (warmth) in the east and the tepidarium (warmth) immediately adjacent to it. But we do not yet know exactly what the functions of these two spaces were in this first phase. Later, a new space with its pool was added to the west of these two (current frigidarium/cold room), and the others were slightly expanded towards the north. At a later date, new doors and niches were opened in the frigidarium, and an annex was probably made to the south of the caldarium (temperature). Excavations of the Nero Bath, whose walls are mostly preserved up to the roof level, continue.

Fotoğrafçı: Dosseman