The Licinian Baths (

Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...

:حمام كارك) are a classified monument in the city of Beja in the north-west of Tunisia. Located in the ruins of the ancient settlement of

Dougga Dougga or Thugga or TBGG (; ) was a Berber, Punic and Roman settlement near present-day Téboursouk in northern Tunisia. The current archaeological site covers . UNESCO qualified Dougga as a World Heritage Site in 1997, believing that it repres ...

, they represent one of the most important thermal establishments in

Roman Africa Roman Africa or Roman North Africa is the culture of Roman Africans that developed from 146 BC, when the Roman Republic defeated Carthage and the Punic Wars ended, with subsequent institution of Roman Empire, Roman Imperial government, through th ...

History

The baths were donated to the city by the

Licinii The gens Licinia was a celebrated plebeian family at ancient Rome, which appears from the earliest days of the Republic until imperial times, and which eventually obtained the imperial dignity. The first of the gens to obtain the consulship was ...

family in the 3rd century, during the reign of

Caracalla Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (born Lucius Septimius Bassianus, 4 April 188 – 8 April 217), better known by his nickname Caracalla (; ), was Roman emperor from 198 to 217 AD, first serving as nominal co-emperor under his father and then r ...

, between 212 and 217. They were primarily used as winter baths. The baths were classified as a national monument by the

National Heritage Institute National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ce ...

on 16 November 1928.

Architecture

The baths' walls are well preserved today. Also, the tunnel that the baths' slaves used to circulate through is still present in a good situation. The frigidarium has triple arcades at both ends and large windows with views over the valley beyond. File:Licinian baths 02.jpg, View of the baths File:Residential Ruins Near the Licinian Baths at Dougga - isawnyu.jpg, Residential ruins near the Licinian Baths File:Dougga site archéologique en Tunisie - 13295842763.jpg, Entrance of the baths

References

* {{coord, 36.422, 9.219, type:landmark_region:TN, display=title World Heritage Sites in Tunisia Roman sites in Tunisia Dougga Article from DouggaPedia project Ancient Roman baths