Pompeii’s public baths were unhygienic until the Romans took over

A journey to the public baths of Pompeii in ancient times meant immersing oneself in water tainted with sweat and urine, until the Romans assumed control and sanitation practices improved.

Initially occupied by the Samnite people, Pompeii underwent a cultural shift when it became a Roman colony around 80 BC, just a century and a half before the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius buried the city in volcanic ash.

While the Romans are renowned for their love of bathing, the Samnites had also constructed public baths, such as the Stabian Baths and the Republican Baths, after 130 BC.

Gül Sürmelihindi and her team from the University of Mainz delved into the mineral deposits within these ancient bathhouses to gain insights into the water quality that once filled the pools.

Analysis revealed that the water in the hot pool of the Republican Baths exhibited low stable carbon isotope values, indicating a high presence of organic matter like sweat, sebum, and urine from bathers.

Further examination of mineral deposits in the wells supplying water to the pools showed minimal organic matter, suggesting contamination occurred within the pools themselves, likely from the bathers’ bodily fluids.

The slow and laborious process of drawing water from deep wells using buckets limited the replenishment rate of the baths to once or twice a day, contributing to water contamination.

Upon Roman conquest, significant changes occurred. The Romans constructed an aqueduct to channel water from natural springs 35 km away into Pompeii, supplying an estimated 167,000 liters of water per hour. This allowed for more frequent replenishment of the public baths and facilitated a convenient drinking water source for the city’s residents.

With the improved water supply, mineral deposits in the Roman-era drains of the Stabian Baths revealed reduced organic carbon content, indicating a lower presence of sweat and urine in the water due to more frequent pool replenishment.

However, the shift to the aqueduct for drinking water brought its own challenges. Prior to its construction, rainwater collected in cisterns served as the primary drinking water source. Afterward, lead pipes from the aqueduct distributed water throughout Pompeii, potentially leading to lead contamination due to leaching from the pipes.

While mineral deposits could mitigate lead exposure over time, repairs using fresh piping might cause spikes in lead contamination, impacting the health of Pompeii’s inhabitants, especially the less affluent individuals reliant on lead-tainted water from fountains.

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