In Bathing in the Roman World, Fikret Yegul examines the social and cultural aspects of one of the key Roman institutions. Guiding the reader through the customs, rituals, and activities associated with public bathing, Yegul traces the origins and development of baths and bathing customs and analyzes the sophisticated technology and architecture of bath complexes, which were among the most imposing of all Roman building types. He also examines the reception of bathing throughout the classical world and the transformation of bathing culture across three continents in Byzantine and Christian societies. The volume concludes with an epilogue on bathing and cleanliness in post-classical Europe, revealing the changes and continuities in culture that have made public bathing a viable phenomenon even in the modern era. Richly illustrated and written in an accessible manner, this book is geared to undergraduates for use in courses on Roman architecture, archaeology, civilization, and social and cultural history.

'This is an affectionate and scholarly account of the ancient romans' passion for bathing which builds on the author's more extensive study, Baths and Bathing in Classical Antiquity.' History Today

Fikret Yegul is Professor of History of Art and Architecture at the University of California, Santa Barbara. A scholar of Roman architecture, he has been a member of the Harvard Sardis Excavations in Turkey and the Ohio State University Isthmia Excavations in Greece. Yegul is the author of articles and books on Roman architecture, notably Baths and Bathing in Classical Antiquity, which received the Alice D. Hitchcock Award from the Society of Architectural Historians in 1994.