Around AD 310, a Roman emperor had a private bath built with three pools, heated floors and a sauna; archaeologists have now uncovered its unusual design
Nearly 1,700 years ago, an emperor could retreat from the demands of the Roman court without leaving his palace. Beneath a monumental tower in what is now eastern Serbia, he had a private bathing suite built with heated floors, multiple pools and a sauna — a remarkably sophisticated space designed for comfort, privacy and relaxation. Archaeologists have now uncovered the remains of that unusual bath complex, offering a glimpse into the luxurious lifestyle of Roman Emperor Maximinus Daza and the engineering behind his imperial residence.
A palace built for an emperor
The discovery was made at Vrelo-Šarkamen, a fortified residential complex constructed in the early fourth century. The site is associated with Maximinus Daza, who ruled as Roman emperor from 310 to 313. Excavations at the site have continued intermittently for decades, but recent work by researchers from Serbia’s Institute of Archaeology has revealed that the palace was considerably more elaborate than previously understood.Maximinus Daza, whose full name was Galerius Valerius Maximinus, was born in the region and rose to power during one of the most turbulent periods of the Roman Empire. He was part of the tetrarchy, a system established by Emperor Diocletian in which the vast empire was governed by four rulers. The arrangement was already beginning to unravel by the time Maximinus became emperor. His reign lasted only a few years, ending with his defeat by his rival Licinius and his death in 313.
A bath unlike the usual Roman model
The bath, known in Latin as a balneum, was divided into two main areas.
The most intriguing discovery lies beneath a monumental tower at the southwest corner of the palace. Rather than following the more familiar linear arrangement found in many Roman bathhouses, with rooms placed one after another, this private bath was circular and occupied the lowest level of the tower. Its unusual layout appears to have been carefully adapted to the architecture of the building. The room was covered by a dome fitted with six windows, an architectural feature that would have required considerable technical skill. The design also allowed the bath to combine practical infrastructure with an enclosed space intended for the emperor and other members of the palace elite.
Heated floors and three bathing pools
The bath, known in Latin as a balneum, was divided into two main areas. One section housed the equipment needed to keep the complex running. Archaeologists found the remains of a furnace that would have heated the floors, a hallmark of Roman bathing technology. They also uncovered the base of a copper boiler used to heat water, although the boiler itself has disappeared. The second section was devoted to bathing and relaxation. Inside, researchers found three bathing pools or tubs, along with a sudatorium, a room designed for steam bathing or sauna-like relaxation. Together, the features point to a space that was about far more than basic hygiene.
A glimpse into imperial life
For the Roman elite, bathing could be an important part of daily life, combining relaxation, socialising and personal care. In this case, however, the setting suggests something more private and exclusive. The bath was incorporated directly into the emperor’s palace, with its heating system, bathing areas and sophisticated architecture working together within a relatively compact space. Its position inside the tower also raises questions about how Maximinus Daza and his family reached the complex.Archaeologists plan to continue investigating the site, hoping to reconstruct the arrangement of the rooms and understand how the bath functioned within the wider palace.What survives at Vrelo-Šarkamen is more than a collection of ancient walls. It is a snapshot of imperial life at a moment when the Roman world was changing rapidly — preserved beneath a tower where an emperor once had the luxury of disappearing into his own private bath.Images Courtesy: Vrelo-Šarkamen research team/Institute of Archaeology
