Design and Decoration

The baths were richly decorated with carved elements, statues, and exotic marbles and granites (the eight massive columns of pink Aswan granite, purely ornamental, are still standing today) as to celebrate the richness and 'rebirth' of Rome as the capital of the known world. Utilizing the Corinthian capital as the established symbol of the emperor, the baths become a lavish refuge from the crammed everyday street of the city. The baths are open to poor and rich alike, and they convey distinct meaning to each citizen - for the poor they are the blessing from the emperor, for the rich they are the formal backdrop for self-display.