Location of the Central Thermae (Ins VI, 1-10) .. View of Cardo III looking North, with the men's entrance to the Central Thermae on the right of the photograph Plan of the Complex .. ....................................Plan of Central Thermae Key: Men's Baths: (Entrance A) B. Apodyterium.......ii.....C. Frigidarium D. Tepidarium................E. Caldarium F. Labrum.....................G. Bath Facilities: N. Palaestra Women's Baths: (Entrance H). I . Vestibule.....,,,,ii........J. Apodyterium K. Tepidarium....i...........L. Caldarium M. Bath Description The Central Thermae in Herculaneum were built around the beginning of the 1st century AD and are divided, as was then the common practice, into separate men's and women's baths, each with their own entrance, on Cardo III and Cardo IV at No. 1 and No. 8 respectively. .. The men's baths, preceded by latrines, are entered directly from the apodyterium (B) (pictured right), which contains a labrum at the far end, and another small basin for washing prior to entering the rest of the complex. .. .. The tepidarium, heated by means of hot air beneath the floor, has a fine mosaic floor depicting a triton surrounded by dolphins. A door leads to the great caldarium (E), also heated in the same way. It has two pools, one for hot water (G) and a labrum for cold water. .. The women's baths, although smaller and less elaborate, have survived in better condition. Preceded by a waiting room, these baths consist of an apodyterium (J) (pictured right) decorated with elegant marine mosaics, a tepidarium (K) (below right) decorated with meanders and squares, and a caldarium (L) with a rectangular basin (M) and a circular labrum (pictured below and bottom right). .. .. .. .. The apodyterium leads directly into the frigidarium (C) to the left and the tepidarium (D) to the right. The door immediately to the right of the labrum in the photograph above leads to the service area. The circular frigidarium (pictured left) has a vaulted ceiling decorated with sea creatures and a pool with steps leading down into the water. .. .. .. .. Opposite the baths a large porticoed garden (pictured left) served not only as a recreational area, but also as a meeting place and an open-air lounge. At the back of the building are the service rooms, a well, and a praefurnium with boilers for heating the water and providing the hot air that circulated through the walls.

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