Spa: An ancient idea, a modern luxury

One thing that has always intrigued me about ancient Roman culture are their recreational activities. To have lived so many years ago, it is surprising how much they were able to invent and accomplish. I recently stumbled upon an ancient Roman recreational activity I hadn't known of before. The Romans built bathhouses. These bathing spas were communal. Men and women were typically separated, but they welcomed everyone in the city for a small fee. These bathhouses had warm baths, hot baths, and cold baths. And even a room for massages with oils. Most had a courtyard that was used for exercise. These bathhouses were a large part of Roman culture. Within the spas many business deals were sealed, exercise was common, courtships were conducted, and friends were made.

Roman baths in Bath, England.

While the ancient Roman spas and the spas of our day have their differences, some things that I enjoy are, warm showers, exercise, steam rooms, social gatherings, massages, and making friends. The co-ed spas don't seem very attractive to me, but I think that if I were to have lived in ancient Rome, these bathhouses would have been some of my favorite places. Especially considering the fact that steam rooms are already some of my favorite places to be. The recreational activities the ancient Romans enjoyed are always surprising.