ROMAN BATHS ALLOWED FOR ROMANS TO PRACTICE GOOD HYGIENE ON A DAILY BASIS, LEADING TO LATER HYGIENE PRACTICES. BESIDES BEING A PLACE FOR BATHING, THE BATH HOUSES ALSO SERVED AS A SOCIAL HUB FOR PEOPLE TO MEET, EXERCISE, AND CHAT. THIS IS SIMILAR TO MODERN DAY RECREATION CENTERS.
The Ancient Roman Baths
The Roman Baths of Caracalla were an important social gathering area in the city of Rome.
Besides only containing bathing pools, bath houses also contained restaurants gymnasiums, and sometimes even study and lecture halls. Here the higher-standing citizens could meet to socialize and relax after a long day of business and politics. A trip to the bath houses was usually a daily occurance, making them the main sites of social gathering in the empire. They also reflected the Roman stress on hygiene, setting a precedent for later civilizations.
Modern Recreation Centers
Recreation centers are public gathering areas, similar to ancient Roman bath houses
Public recreation centers exist in many American cities today. They usually contain swimming pools, gyms, game areas, snack bars, and conference rooms. These facilities are open to the public, and are commonly visited by families or on outings with friends. Adults will come to exercise together, and kids will come to play and swim. This gathering very much resembles the gathering of friends to socialize and exercise at the bath houses in ancient Rome. This is another way in which Roman facilities and lifestyles influenced those of modern times.