The Baths of Faustina (Latin: Thermae Faustinae) were one of the most magnificent thermal complexes in ancient Miletus, built in the 2nd century AD in honor of Faustina the Elder, wife of Emperor Antoninus Pius. Their construction reflected the Roman tradition of philanthropy, as imperial families often funded public buildings to strengthen their popularity in the provinces.
Miletus, a major commercial and cultural center in Asia Minor, already had well-developed infrastructure, including the Baths of Capito, but the Baths of Faustina surpassed them in both scale and luxury. They became a symbol of Roman influence and technological progress.
Architecture and Layout of the Baths of Faustina
The Baths of Faustina followed the standards of imperial Roman baths, combining functionality and aesthetics. The complex included:
Spacious Courtyard (Palaestra)
• Used for athletic exercises and gatherings.
• Surrounded by colonnades with marble statues.
Main Bathing Areas
• Apodyterium (changing room) – with niches for clothing and mosaic floors.
• Frigidarium – a cold hall with a pool (which could reach 15 meters in length).
• Tepidarium – a moderately heated room with an underfloor heating system.
• Caldarium – a hot bath with a semicircular niche (apsis) for bathing.
• Laconicum – a dry-heat sauna.
Additional Structures
Hypocaust – an underground heating system where hot air from furnaces circulated beneath floors and within walls.
• Water Supply – fed by aqueducts from mountain springs.
• Library and Conversation Halls – for intellectual leisure.
The size of the complex is impressive: archaeologists estimate that the Baths of Faustina covered about 5,000 m², comparable to the Small Baths of Rome.
Like other Roman baths, the Baths of Faustina served as a meeting place for business negotiations and relaxation. They may have also been used for ritual purification before visiting temples (such as the Sanctuary of Apollo Delphinios). The use of hypocaust heating and an advanced hydraulic system demonstrated Roman engineering mastery.
The baths remained in use until the 5th–6th centuries AD but gradually fell into decline due to earthquakes. Later, Miletus was abandoned entirely as its harbor silted up.
What Remains of the Baths of Faustina Today?
• Fragments of walls and foundation structures.
• Remains of the hypocaust and marble decorations.
• Parts of the water supply system.
The ruins are located in the archaeological site of Miletus (modern-day Turkey) and are open to visitors. They provide insight into the grandeur of Roman architecture and daily life in an ancient city. Their construction highlighted Miletus` importance as a key imperial center, and the surviving ruins remain a valuable source for studying ancient engineering.
