European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 24, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse An Interior Section of the Baths is they Oner looked. The bal Hoof Cir a i. I Inisi i ii rnterliiinmi1". .11ii Isiline hic Vury human Lili in. Bolti Iees Ivere a milled Irani the ,11. Of flu Belv hut sine i promiscuity a is Atli a criticized a relatively snip ill number cil won ii ii ,. Smut m Ili tit for tin a inline Lily were build Liy c1i Law hat Loray on the iof their ruins two in Echimof i i anti i viral hi1 Mii Ninn. Till mini opulent i incl Nin t in magnitude Only to the Baths of Dun Pilian i to the r f Carat ill la. 212 Liy uni Lunf Rorant Mai n d .1 ,1 m.issivi1 r i Truchin. Thi in in Piiru is Ovitt f i some 31 re thu biirr.in1u.iih Mojik x. Portico a in Ink if Persini Lef of Ihu Vals find hoi i c Llu itts cont it kills Nii i ii info gardens. The blk in i thl Ilyf a in Rnaomi rooms. rooms Sinh ii Conni plex network in . Tin1 Otilit building i n1 it icily Ophir Norci Vilh Situ t re. Fresco polychronis ind . The i Lhing Ere entirely of Crit Willi in creatures find rows of curious fish ii pert d to be jumping nut of look it if baht in ill cities the huge fresh Swimm Insi Pool. The Pool Tonlino Clisly it d i which Lisagor i d pan i Small Topper Coin to enter s . There Altha were Lactam pained by slaves masseurs. The slaves brought the towels want Check Over Hie clothes. The masseurs or sometimes masseuses were expert practitioners to whom Wasuge was no Mere Job but a True science. For those who had no stoves there were plenty of people who for a Small fee performed the name service. After the ritual bathing the patrons sat around the Pool played Ball gambled drank wine ate gossiped conducted business listened to lectures or read scrolls borrowed from the establishment s Library. Scores of slaves worked in the dark labyrinth Biow the ground to keep the Baths operational. Some fed the Wood burning stoves the were connected Loa Complex network of steam pipes Benin la the floors others scurried along hidden corridors to attend to the bathers every whim. At the snap of a Finger the 7he mint of the bight of drat Lla Standon the App Ian Way about two Miles from if colosseum. Privileged citizens were pm Molly served chilled wine hot sausages roast Chicken Honey cakes plump grapes. Bui this opulent existence was Short lived. Condoned by emperor Caracalla whose own indulgence in Gross vulgar sensibility was notorious the Baths became a favorite meeting place for lecher thieves a cover for male female prostitution. Ii is thought that the Sybaris in slave dependent often depraved life of the Baths contributed to the weakening of Rome. By the end of the 4th Century the roman Empire was ravaged by a series of economic crises the Bathi of com Falla were falling into disrepair. When emperor const Ine decided to move the Imperial capital to constantinople Rome was dealt j ii till blow. After the roman Empire split in two. Repealed barbarian sieges invasions irreparably damaged Many of the City s buildings aqueducts in . 5j7. When the goths finally Cut the Aqueduct feeding the. Baths of Cir Atalla the Complex was already dying of neglect. The great dome covering the Cal Darium hid fallen in the stucco friezes were toppling off the Walls. Rome dehydrated was shrinking to the size of a Small town. Its once densely populated Hills reverted to suburban wilderness mrs its grandiose monuments started to crumble. Today you can stroll amid the lawns of Caracalla s Baths. The lowering mini speak of Rome s grandiose past. A few remaining frescoes describe it opulent lifestyle. And from fragments of mosaics jumping fish stare at us with curious eyes. The Baths of Caracalla Are located Riboul two Miles South of the colosseum on the App Ian Way. They Are open from 9 . Until one hour before Sundown. Entrance fee is 2,000 lire about j1.5o. Some evenings you can All end performances of operas such is Sirij or of cd lavishly mounted on the grounds of the Cal Darium one of the world s biggest stages. Fott Mytr 24, tm7 to tips no Guiry
