Largest Roman bathhouse in the Netherlands found in Nijmegen

The remains of the largest Roman bath complex in the Netherlands have been discovered in Nijmegen. With an estimated surface area of at least 4,900 square meters (52,743 square feet), the Nijmegen (Ulpia Noviomagus in antiquity) baths were more than twice the size of the examples at Coiovallum (2,500 m²) and Forum Hadriani (2,200 m²).

Nijmegen was founded in the 1st century B.C. as a Roman military camp, and is the second oldest city in the Netherlands. Ulpia Noviomagus was the first town in what is now the Netherlands to receive Roman city rights (the designation of “municipium”) around 100 A.D. from the emperor Trajan. After it received the designation, Ulpia Noviomagus began a program of erecting public buildings, including this bathhouse which was used for hygiene, recreation and as a meeting space by the city residents.

The bathhouse was found at a site along the Waal river slated for residential construction. The preventative archaeology excavation found the outlines of entire city blocks of the Roman city, with houses, luxury townhomes, paved streets and a military tower. Thousands of portable artifacts were discovered, from jewelry and coins to a small bronze bust of the god Bacchus.

The bath complex reflects the prosperity of the city. The construction materials are luxurious. The walls were clad in marble and the floor tiled with black and white limestone. Remains of painted plaster walls were found in some of the rooms, and decorative architectural features from the façade were also discovered. Columns and limestone and sandstone adorned the interior of the buildings.

The complex was later plundered for construction materials, but large sections of the bathhouse infrastructure have survived. The drainage channels and the underfloor hypocaust heating system have survived in relatively good condition, and two of the foundation walls still stand up to six feet high. They are some of the best-preserved examples of Roman masonry ever found in Nijmegen.

Artifacts found in the excavation including bronze statues, intaglio gemstone signet rings and a necklace with a gold clasp, also indicate the wealth and high quality of life of the population. Hundreds of bodkins (long hairpins), made of bone were discovered, many of them decorated at the end that emerged from the elaborate hairstyle with turned designs. Two of them are decorated with a carved figure a cat, one standing with its tail raised in anger, the other seated. Archaeologists believe the hairpins may have been made locally, which indicates well-established local artisans and women with money to spend.

One of the stand-out objects recovered from the site is a small bronze bust of the god of wine Bacchus. It was likely a fitting either on a piece of furniture or a serving vessel. A hanging loop was later added and it was repurposed for use as a scale weight.

Excavations began in September of last year and will continue through July of this year. The discovery of the bathhouse remains will not stop the construction of the new housing, but developers plan to integrate the finds into a new design so that they remain visible. Any remains and artifacts that can be recovered will be. A selection of them will go on display at Nijmegen City Hall on June 29th.

* This article was originally published here