1. Location
Part of a bath complex was discovered in the east section of the Public Agora (no. 16), in the eastern edge of the Royal Stoa (no. 21), to the southeast of the Odeion (Bouleuterion) (no. 22).
2. Architectural type
Although the overall architectural plan of the Baths at the Agora remains unknown, what survives indicates that the building featured asymmetrically arranged chambers, contrary to the other bath complexes found in the city of Ephesus, whose architectural plans are defined by symmetrical formations. This asymmetrical arrangement should probably be attributed to the limitations imposed by the space available for erecting new structures in this part of the Agora, which contained other public edifices since the Hellenistic period.1Baths with their main spaces asymmetrically arranged have been found in other cities of Asia Minor as well. The Baths at the Agora exhibit similarities mainly with the Baths of Faustina in Miletus.2
3. Short description of the edifice
The building would have extended over an area of more than 3,500 sq.m. Thanks to the excavation conducted so far in the site, four large successive chambers have come to light in the north side of the complex, belonging to the bath, and a part of a long chamber in the south side. Best preserved is the north side’s first chamber to the west, which must be identified as the warm bath room, the caldarium. The architectural plan of the rectangular chamber, with successive niches along its walls, embodies the typical arrangement of such rooms. In total there are seven niches. Each of the chamber’s long sides featured three niches; the central one was semicircular and was flanked by two more rectangular niches, while an even larger rectangular niche was formed in the west, narrower side of the chamber. Small basins in which warm water flowed were placed in these niches. The form of the other three chambers, parts of which were found in the north side of the complex, is not precisely known.
The remains of latrines (latrinae) were discovered in the south side of the caldarium,as well as smaller spaces, which were probably used for various commercial purposes. Parts of chambers were discovered in the south and west side of the building; these featured floors paved with marble slabs. One such chamber in the building’s south side, more than 40m in length and adorned with a marble floor probably had the form of a basilica (basilica thermarum), i.e. a spacious chamber of great length with one of its narrow sides arched. Such chambers were common in bath buildings of this type and rendered the structure more functional by facilitating the movement of visitors between the chambers of the main baths. According to another suggestion, however, such chambers had also various other uses, e.g. they were employed for physical exercise, as places for relaxation, even for holding discussions and giving lectures.3
A palaestra, i.e. a rectangular open-air courtyard with a peristyle, suitable for physical exercise, would have completed the bath’s south side. No such remains have come to light yet. However, we can surmise the existence of a palaestra by analogy to other baths belonging to the same architectural type as the Baths at the Agora.4
4. Decoration
The excavation on the building, although limited, has brought to light significant finds. Three male marble portrait heads, dating to the 1st century AD, belong to the sculptural decoration of the chambers, and probably depicted prominent citizens. A female head donning a diadem, probably depicting a priestess, was unearthed and has been dated to the early 3rd century AD.5
5. Construction methods
From what remains of the surviving walls it appears that in the construction of the Baths at the Agora two building techniques were combined: opus quadratum and opus incertum (a building technique in which small irregular stones are half-inserted into a wall core of mortar). Similar building methods can be observed in all the large bath complexes at Ephesus. As we know from other, better preserved examples, baked bricks were used for the construction of the hypocausts and the vaulted roofs. These construction techniques were novel, having been recently introduced into the East from Italy, and were originally employed in buildings like baths.6 The Baths at the Agora also preserve remains of large windows on the west wall of the caldarium, which were used to provide natural lighting and heating.
6. Dating
According to one suggestion, a likely foundation date of the Baths at the Agora is the 2nd century AD. This is mainly based on the architectural design of the building and its similarities to the Faustina Baths in Miletus, which were probably erected before 176 AD.
The study of the building’s architecture and construction techniques has lead to the identification of successive building phases, which include minor repairs or major interventions; these, however, are difficult to date. The floor of the long chamber (basilica) was covered with a mosaic, possibly as late as the 5th century AD.7
7. History of research
Part of the baths building in the east side of the Agora was excavated in the 1920s. This edifice, which remains unpublished, had been earlier misidentified as the Baths of Scholasticia or Varius Baths.8 This building was probably erected over an earlier gymnasium of the Hellenistic period, epigraphically known as the Upper Gymnasium of Ephesus.9
8. Current state of preservation
The Baths at the Agora are among the first set of ruins visitors encounter on their right as they enter the archaeological site from the modern upper entrance. The remains of the walls of the caldarium are imposing, with the rather impressive, and relatively well-preserved, large window openings on the west side of the chamber. A large part of the baths complex remains unexcavated.