Terme di Caracalla

Construction of the Baths of Caracalla began in 206 under Emperor Septimius Severus and was completed in 216 under his successor Caracalla. Further additions and decorations were made under Emperors Elagabalus and Alexander Severus, so the complex reached its final form around 235 AD. The baths were supplied with water by a branch of the Aqua Marcia, known as the Aqua Marcia Antoniniana. They served the Roman populace as public, free-entry bath palaces. In the 5th century, the baths were still in operation and were described by Polemius Silvius as one of the seven wonders of Rome. In 537, the Goths destroyed the aqueduct, ending the bathing operations. An earthquake in 847 caused further damage, and the complex fell into disrepair. From the 12th century onwards, the baths served as a quarry, and in the 16th century, the Farnese family, particularly Pope Paul III, had much of the fittings removed for the construction of the Palazzo Farnese and St. Peter's Basilica. Systematic excavations began in 1824 under Count Girolamo Egidio di Velo, who, among other discoveries, found the mosaic with athletes.

The Baths of Caracalla are located in Rome, in the Lazio region of Italy, at an elevation of approximately 24 meters above sea level.

The ruins of the Baths of Caracalla can be visited today. The Rome Opera occasionally uses the backdrop for open-air opera performances.