After an hour of refreshing sleep it was time for the
regular exercise out of doors in the Campus Martius or indoors at one of the
large city baths. Then came one of the chief pleasures of a Roman's
existence—the daily bath. It was taken ordinarily in one of the public bathing
establishments, or thermae, to be found in every Roman town. A Roman
bath was a luxurious affair. After undressing, the bathers entered a warm
anteroom and sat for a time on benches, in order to perspire freely. This was a
precaution against the danger of passing too suddenly into the hot bath, which
was taken in a large tank of water sunk in the middle of the floor. Then came
an exhilarating cold plunge and anointing with perfumed oil. Afterwards the
bathers rested on the couches with which the resort was supplied and passed the
time in reading or conversation until the hour for dinner.
THE LATE DINNER
The late dinner, with the Romans as with the Greeks,
formed the principal meal of the day. It was usually a social function. The
host and his guests reclined on couches arranged about a table. The Romans
borrowed from the Greeks the custom of ending a banquet with a symposium, or
drinking-bout. The tables were cleared of dishes, and the guests were anointed
with perfumes and crowned with garlands. During the banquet and the symposium
it was customary for professional performers to entertain the guests with
music, dancing, pantomimes, and feats of jugglery.
