The Tepidarium is where strigiling took place. During this process, a hooked metal tool was used along with oil (instead of soap) to loosen dirt from the body and its pores. The oil also served to replenish the natural oils lost by the body through perspiration. All this was done by the slaves. Eventually, the oil that was left on the floor was collected by Roman doctors to create medicinal ointments, something that would be very unhygienic now that we have extensive knowledge of bacteria.

Patrons could also have slaves give a massage or depilation (have their body hairs plucked out). After all, in the Roman Empire hairless bodies were seen as fashionable. It seems that today nothing has changed. Now it is not only swimmers who are conscious of ridding themselves of body hair, but most women and many men. There seems to be no real reason why women feel they must shave their legs, arm pits, and any other noticeable hairs except for cosmetic purposes. The same is true of men and their facial hair. At best, we could say that most people think these hairs are "unhygienic" but there is no real proof that unshaven legs would lead to any sort of disease. Now, too, there are many different processes: threading, shaving, waxing, and electrolysis. As technology advances, new techniques will be formed.

Fig. 1 Strigil and olive oil vat

Image courtesy of: http://depthome.brooklyn.cuny.edu/classics/dunkle/athnlife/oil.htm

The processes done in this room were not pleasing to all and made some people find the baths unappealing. A modern spin on this could be cultures today that do not hold as strong of a belief as Americans, that women should shave body hair. This is especially present in the stereotypes of Italian and Russian women who are noted to not shave their arm pits, and often their legs as well. But, this is just a stereotype and there are certainly many women of those cultures that do find shaving important.

For example, the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius said:

“What is bathing when you think about it – oil, sweat, filth, greasy water, everything loathsome.”

Fig. 2 Apoxymenos. A Greco-Roman copy by Lysippos of an athlete using a strigil on himself.

Image courtesy of: http://www.vroma.org

To the next room: Caldarium

Back to: Roman Baths