Copy of a stone plaque from a Roman bath, made in Europe, 1901-1950

Made:
44-43 BCE; 1901-1950 in Europe
Cast of insindered stone plaque recording the building of a Cast of insindered stone plaque recording the building of a

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

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Cast of insindered stone plaque recording the building of a
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Cast of insindered stone plaque recording the building of a
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Cast of insindered stone plaque recording the building of a solarium at the Roman baths at Carthage, 44-43BC

Washing and cleansing were significant parts of everyday Roman life. The original plaque, of which this is a copy, was found at Qurbus, Tunisia. It recorded the building of a solarium or sun-bathing terrace at the Roman baths in Carthage, in 44-43 BCE.

The translation of the inscription is “Decimus Laelius Balbus, son of Decimus, Quaestor for the Praetor, has attended the building of the sweating rooms [sauna], of the massage chamber and the solarium”.

A quaestor and a praetor are Roman governmental officers.

Details

Category:
Classical & Medieval Medicine
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A635515
Materials:
plaster
Measurements:
overall: 107 mm x 134 mm x 19 mm, .23kg
type:
plaque