Stucco Ceiling

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

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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.