Archaeologists Discovered an Ancient Roman Hot Tub Fit for an Emperor—Literally

2 min readHere’s what you’ll learn when you read this story:A fortified tower within a former Roman emperor’s home in Serbia contained a technically impressive bath system.The site featured a boiler system to heat water, radiant-floor heating for the suite of rooms, and plenty of space to relax.Archaeologists located three different tubs or pools and a steam room within the circular tower. Roman Emperor Maximinus Daza lived a life of luxury in his Serbian residence. Archaeological discoveries at his fortified palace have proven as much, with excavations revealing an intricate bath complex within one of the palace’s towers, complete with a high-tech heating system.Three decades after archaeologists uncovered gold jewelry at the site’s mausoleum, teams discovered that the lowest level of the palace’s southwest corner tower at Vrelo-Šarkamen featured an extensive imperial private bath set-up known in Latin as a balneum. The site featured multiple rooms—and baths—for the residents, complete with a hypocaust heating system and what was once a copper boiler to heat water.Maximinus Daza, the Roman emperor from 310 to 313 C.E., reigned during the Tetrarchy period, during which the palace was constructed. The recent discoveries at the site of the palace came thanks to the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia and were directed by Marija Jovic from the Archaeological Institute and Gordan Janjic at the Krajina Museum. The experts said the circular chambers holding the bath system matched the structure of the palace tower and featured a domed ceiling with six windows.“The design testifies to the high level of construction expertise and the exceptional skill of the architect and builders, as integrating openings into a domed structure represented a demanding structural and architectural undertaking,” the experts said in a translated statement from the Krajina Museum.More complex and luxurious than previously believed, the site, in its heyday, included at least three tubs or pools, a steam room (known in Latin as a sudatorium), and separate rooms for relaxing.The entrance to the complex was on the east side of the room, whereas a doorway on the west side led to the technical chambers, where staff maintained the hypocaust system—basically an ancient radiant heating system—along with a copper boiler that heated the water for the baths. While the copper disappeared long ago, the base remains. The service area was separated from the balneum, since the latter was designed for use only by the owners of the home.The extensive mechanical discoveries at the site help experts understand its construction and positioning, which they called highly technical and unlike any other ever found. The experts said the preservation of the hypocaust system represented a “rare archaeological find.”“This layout demonstrates,” as the experts explained, “that this was not merely a simple space for personal hygiene, but a carefully designed private bathroom intended for high-status residents, where the architectural solution, technical infrastructure, and comfort formed a unified functional whole.”Tim Newcomb is a journalist based in the Pacific Northwest. He covers stadiums, sneakers, gear, infrastructure, and more for a variety of publications, including Popular Mechanics. His favorite interviews have included sit-downs with Roger Federer in Switzerland, Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles, and Tinker Hatfield in Portland.