Roman Baths- the Modern American Country Club

Steam rooms, hot foods, pools (kind of), exercise areas, and of course, an opportunity to socialize; the Roman baths were the ancient socialite setting of the modern American country clubs.

Socializing by the pool, an American tradition.

The Romans visited the public baths almost every day. Hygiene was very important but the baths offered so much more. Musicians, poets and jugglers were among the many entertainment options as you bathed. Romans valued a healthy lifestyle that included a nutritious diet and plenty of exercise. Before bathing, many visitors to the bath would exercise in the palaestra to work up a little sweat. Nothing competitive or difficult, just enough to get the blood flowing.

Before entering the bath, Romans loosened sweat and dirt from their skin. This may sound similar to taking a quick rinse before jumping into the pool, however; Romans had a much more complex process that took place in the tepidarium. What I find the most fascinating is the tools Romans would use to clean their skin. A process called “strigiling” was performed by using a small curved metal tool to scrape away dirt and other oils on the skin. This was before the use of soap so it was most effective after spreading oil over the skin to loosen dirt and then use the strigil to scrape it off. Even more interesting was that your slave or a worker from the bath would scrape it for you. Really makes you grateful for your loofah, foam soap, and a private shower?

After your “strigiling” aka skin scrub, proceed to the caldarium. This is the first of many hot and cold baths. The caldarium could offer one or a sequence of pools, all heated by hypocaust. Hypocaust was a way to heat the pools by leaving space between walls and floors so smoke from the furnace would heat the room (pool) in all directions. The caldarium was heated to extreme temperatures to open up the skin’s pores to release additional dirt. At the baths of Caracalla, the caldarium was heated to almost 100 degrees Fahrenheit with 100 percent humidity. Today many country clubs consider saunas a luxury service to their members. Saunas and steam rooms offer guests a relaxed environment (if you can stand the heat) that can be good for one’s internal and external wellbeing. You may feel sticky but it’s worth it!

Baths at Caracalla. I just thought this was a great diagram to show how large the public baths were.

At one time Rome had over 900 bath houses, ranging in guest capacity of 300 to 1500 people. Most bath houses had one or two large pools, or the “Great Bath” as well as many small heated rooms with plunge pools. Men and women usually visited the public baths at separate times however larger baths could accommodate both sexes at one time. In Bath, England, the Roman bath has West and East bath suites that allowed for men and women to use the facilities simultaneously but still in separation.   

Summer 2008 I had the pleasure of visiting Bath and the Roman public bath.

The "Great Bath."

A smaller, heated pool.
Not the most ideal smell for bath water though.

After your time in the bath rooms, you may find yourself sun bathing in Mediterranean sun, enjoying the entertainers, or dining on fine fast foods. A typical summer afternoon in Arizona may sound quite similar, except swap the Mediterranean sun for the desert big blue sky. Although the Romans may have had jugglers for entertainment, today the more common form is the imagination of children who have just advanced to deep end of the pool privileges. Thousands of years later, the Roman baths have been adapted and although we may dine on hot dogs and watermelon instead of eggs and fish, the tradition of the Roman bath lives on, in the American country club. 

I just found this picture!
Me in Bath, England

Centuries Later, Far From Home - Venus de Milo Lives as the Immortal Aphrodite

"Down the long hall she glistens like a star,

The foam-born mother of Love, transfixed to stone,

Yet none the less immortal, breathing on.

Time's brutal hand hath maimed but could not mar…” 
–Emma Lazarus

The Venus de Milo

  Overlooking the Seine, an ancient Greek masterpiece rests in its permanent Parisian home. Standing 203 centimeters tall, the Venus de Milo looks over the heads of visitors, at the end of one of many vast halls in the Louvre. The marble statue’s composition is derived from a 4^th century BC Corinthian statue. The 3D drapery, strong projection of the knee, and twisted stance are all classic examples of Hellenistic art. Carved by sculptor Alexandros about 150 BC, Venus de Milo however was not found until 1820 on the Aegean island of Melos (Milos or Milo) in Greece.

Although the Venus is far from home and long after its time, its beauty remains. The statue depicts one of the most influential gods, the goddess of love. Aphrodite, or Venus to the Romans, controlled the innermost feelings of the heart as well as the source of human passion. Greek legend says that a golden apple was thrown from the heaven to be given “to the fairest.” Athena, Hera and Aphrodite fought for the apple but it was Paris who would ultimately choose. Each offered him a bride but it was only Aphrodite who could give Paris the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen. It is because of Aphrodite’s indirect actions that caused the Trojan War. Once again, the power of love cannot be measured and the power of passion cannot be tamed.

Born from the foam of sea, the goddess of love was forced to marry the ugly god of fire, Hephaestus. However, marriage could not contain her. Aphrodite wanted freedom and constantly searched for new lovers, some gods and some humans. Her children each would later represent a trait of love, but the most admired is Eros (or the Roman Cupid).  Famous of his golden arrows, he is the god of love; and more commonly the reason for chocolates and flowers on Valentine’s Day.

Aphrodite was desired by gods and man. She was the goddess of beauty but she was made even more irresistible by the girdle she wore. The Venus de Milo is however, not wearing the infamous girdle. Why? Honestly, I couldn’t say but Alexandros carved his sculpture in admiration for the beauty of goddess.  Draped in cloth only on the lower half of her body, the vulnerable Venus looks to the distance with no shame.

Although Aphrodite is known for her beauty, the Venus de Milo has gained fame for her missing arms and original plinth that have long been detached from the body.  Every person has a different reason, but in one way or another, everyone is drawn to her.

When I visited the Louvre three summers ago, I entered the massive museum not knowing what to expect. Other than walking scenes from The Da Vinci Code, I was at the pace of the art. I turned the corner to head upstairs and then I saw her. Old yet timeless, she still sparkled in the gray Parisian light. To me, her lost arms made her even more beautiful and more curious. I stood at her base, staring up into her marble eyes, trying to wrap my mind around how long this sculpture has existed.

She has been maimed by harsh hands, both natural and man, yet she is no less immortal. She has been worshipped by the love struck and the heartbroken. She can give a history lesson to anyone willing to listen and lesson in love to anyone willing to open their hearts. For centuries, the Venus de Milo has embodied the power of Aphrodite. Today she stands in Paris, transfixed but still alive, reminding visitors that the power of love still exists.

Outside the Louvre- It's not the best picture, but this was one of my own, taken during my trip to Paris.

The Venus de Milo- not the greatest lighting but still breathtaking. 

From Gilgamesh to Joan Rivers to California Scientists - The Search Continues For Eternal Life

Endless morality, years of beauty, no fear of the unknown; eternal life holds an attraction for everyone. Long ago Gilgamesh wandered the grasslands, today researchers explore sciences and philosophy, both searching 

for the key to elude death.

The topic of aging sparked a thought last week when I read an article saying most women buy their first anti-aging product in their 20’s. I am 20. I asked myself, should I start now? I still consider myself a child some days and yet, I need to worry about my first wrinkle. Our culture is obsessed with turning back the clock and possibly, beating death.

But, why beat death? I believe the answer is simple, we fear death because it brings the unknown. In his quest for eternal life, Gilgamesh admitted that he was afraid to die. The death of his brother weighed heavy on Gilgamesh because one day, he would meet the same fate. He embarked on a long journey to find Utnapishtim and the secret to eternal life.

Today, lifetimes after Gilgamesh, we still embark on long journeys, hoping to find the modern Utnapishtim. Science continues to find more and more answers as technology advances. First the obsession with turning back the clock was enough to sustain the hunger. Botox, chemical peels, and face lifts helped to hide unwanted years. However, society has gone beyond turning back the clock by researching methods that would, in few words, bury the clock for good.

However, for those that hang the clock on the wall and acknowledge its passing time, death is inevitable. In an article authored by Kristen Philipkoski, Miss Alabama 1994 was asked what she would do if she could live forever. Her response, like many other people today, was that she would not want to live forever because if we (humans) could live forever then we would. It is statements such as Miss Alabama’s that shed light on the obvious link to religion. But as one critic said, exploring the eternal life is “more rational that depending on Jesus to provide everlasting life.”

Although I would never wish for eternal life as a mortal, I too wonder what I will meet when I die. I believe in heaven and the life everlasting but, what if I’m wrong? Will I float into the sky, spirit without a body or will I just fade into nothingness? The idea of one day being nothing; no body nor mind. This is what I believe to be at the root of many researcher projects-the fear of disappearing.

We have allowed our schedules to fill in every empty slot of our daily calendar that is life. We stress over family, school, children and work. We are never rested and have to plan vacations sometimes years in advance to force ourselves to enjoy this gift that is life. The idea of leaving the life that many people will spend 80 or more years to create is simply frightening. However, as new research in genetically engineered organisms have extended the lives of cells ten times longer, giving a new hope for eternal life.

This leads me to my final point. If such a method was possible that could prolong our lives by two or even five times longer, would we want it? I think our culture is obsessed with the image of youth, but the concept of eternal life could bring consequences. Like the vampires, we want to be young and beautiful forever but what are the risks? No one wants to live for 500 years as their body slowly dies and once familiar loved ones have passed.

Gilgamesh went in search for eternal life in fear of death. Today we still fear death but our culture is more obsessed with the appearance of youth, hoping that will keep death at a standstill. I believe one day we may find the key to eternal life but like death, we do not know what life everlasting as a mortal could mean.