Baths of Constantine in Arles

One of the most amazing innovations of the Roman empire was in their use of water. Ancient civilizations would have built cities near rivers as a source of fresh water. This would have made the city sustainable since people wouldn’t have to dig wells to find water. This also helped to increase the size of the cities since a good source of water ensures a reliable source of water. What made the Romans different was their use of aqueducts to transport water to places which don’t have much of it. This allow the establishment and development of cities in otherwise uninhabitable places.

Thus because of Roman engineering, the Romans were able to have plentiful water in their cities. Though probably not a modern as having water directly in the apartment but these were easy to access sources of water. With this abundance of water, the Romans can afford to be a little more extravagant with their use of water. For example, something as mundane as baths can now be done. Public baths were constructed in the city and this spread all over the empire. As a result, people would be able to come to the baths and cleanse themselves. Among these, the Baths of Constantine are quite well known. There is a well known one in Rome itself but there are others throughout the empire. There is one in the city of Arles which used to be a provincial capital.

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