Stucco Ceiling

Stucco Ceiling

A detailed view of the stucco bas reliefs on the walls and the ceiling.  The original design and paint are clearly visible.


The Stabian Baths were the oldest and largest baths in Pompeii and were constructed in the second century B.C.  They included a (un)dressing room (apodyterium), a medium temperature room (tepidarium), a hot room (caldarium), and a cold room (frigidarium).  One usually proceeded through the bath in that order.  Besides these usual rooms, they included a men's and a women's sections (thus baths), a large open exercise area (palestra), and a swimming pool.

The earthquake of A.D. 62 severely damaged these baths and some areas were not in use at the time of the eruption of Vesuvius.