The emperors built thermae (luxury bathing establishments).
These included baths, an open-air exercise area, surrounded by fountains, gardens, shops, restrooms, massage parlours, and libraries.
Emperor Hadrian believed in bathing publicly and would attend the public baths - despite having his own at home, to allow him to meet people.
Baths would open around noon.
After a light lunch, a Roman citizen would set off for the baths.
On arrival, they would pay a small entrance fee (though some baths were free) and walked to the palestra, where they would exercise in various ways to work up a sweat for the baths.
They would run, throw discus, wrestle, box.
They also played ball games such as trigon where small hard balls were thrown at each other.
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Bathing And Other Activities
When they had exercised enough, the Romans would enter the apodyterium where they deposited their clothes and an attendant would guard them.
The sequence of bathing would depend on how good the baths were best baths offered dry and wet heat.
Bathers would begin in the sudatorium, a dry sweat room and moved to the caladium where there was a large heated bath.
After this, slaves would scrape their master's skin with a blunt metal scraper called a strigil to remove dirt.
Some Romans would then have a massage before going to the tepidarium and frigidarium to cool off.
People who didn't bathe could stroll in the garden of the baths or relax in shady spots.
Some would play games like checkers and dice.
Brothels and bars were often joined onto the baths.
Many Roman men would visit either before or after bathing.
In Pompeii, there is graffiti on the walls of the baths: "wine, sex and the baths destroy our bodies. But what makes life worth living is - wine, sex and the baths."
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