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The camera
The caldarium is the hottest room of the bath complex. In the baths of Caracalla, the caldarium was 115 feet wide and crowned with a concrete dome. The hot water and steamy air produced were meant to open the skin's pores. This room could reach well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit with 100 percent humidity. The usual format was a large hall containing a big pool that was slightly over 3 feet deep. In the room, the slaves refreshed their rich masters with cool water in a pouring dish called a patara, so they would not be too uncomfortable. The entire caldarium was heated by the hypocaust (furnace) which was used to heat the floor tiles. Patrons wore sandals or clogs, as to not harm their feet on the tiles. Throughout patrons' time in this room, the hot air rose through hollowed-out bricks in walls and exited through chimneys. This is more or less the same as the modern sauna that is popular in many pool and fitness clubs as well as most spas. The sauna is especially used in countries with cold climates, like those in Scandinavia.
Fig. 1 Modern sauna
Image courtesy of: http://www.edenbenessere.it
The hypocaust system of heating sounds much like a type of heating used infrequently today called radiant heat. Radiant heat is the type of heat imbedded in a floor. This heat is provided by pipes kept underneath cement or other flooring. This method is less efficient than other types of heating because it has to pass through a large amount of cement or other flooring material; however, it has the advantage of making the floor warm to the touch. So, this system is used sparingly in spare "living spaces" of houses. For example, when I was very young I lived in New Canaan, Connecticut. In our house we had a "sun room" with this sort of heating under the tiles. It was excellent for autumn weather, but did not make much sense for the constant heating we needed in the cold winters.
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