103-128

The «central road» baths of Dion

Αρχαιολογία

• Ουλκέρογλου, Αναστάσιος

The baths of the Central Road are extended eastern of the cardo maximus of Dion, in the second square block from the southern entry of the city and directly opposite (eastern) the basilica of the forum and the so-called «Monument of Shields». The group is delimitated by the southern and northern bystreets (decumani), though its eastern limit is estimated to be in the south extension of the so-called «Eastern Road» (plan 1 and 2).The complex occupies approximately 1050 m2 (withouth the yard, no 14). Its dimensions are 38.3x27 m. The N-S is longer than the E-W and there are straight and continuous outer walls only in the northern and western sides of the complex (plan 3). It is divided in two main compartments: the western includes the reception rooms for the visitors, with an impressive in size and configuration hall (basilica thermarum, no. 3 and 4), a vestibulum (no. 1), and the swimming-pools for the cold bath (piscinae frigidae, no. 5 and 6). The eastern compartment includes the hot rooms, which are heated with underfloor and enwalling systems of heating. In the eastern part of the complex are found: the small tepidarium (no. 7), which belongs to the second phase of the building, the large intermediary room (tepidarium, no. 8b), the northern hot room (caldarium, no. 8a), the large caldarium with the apsis in the east side (no. 9) and the southern bath room (caldarium, no. 10). A third department includes the auxiliary and the rooms of hygiene: the furnaces (praefurnia, no. 12 and 13) in the NE and SE corner of the complex, the secondary entry (no. 11) which, as no. 6, was transformed in the second building phase, the open-air yard of the thermae (no. 14) and the toilet of the complex (latrina, no. 2).The baths are shaped in proportion to the available urban space. The characteristics of the building, with foremost the existence of the monumental hall (no. 3 and 4), allow us to include it into the group of «Hall type baths» without a palaestra. Their basic element is a wide room (grande salle) that constitutes the core of the architectural planning, and also serves the socialization of the visitors. The other rooms are organised around this hall, which is the center of people’s bath routes. In late antiquity this hall also included the activities of a palaestra, a locker room (apodyterium), even a frigidarium with the addition of tubs for cold bath (no. 5 and 6).Regarding the building phases of the «Central Road» Baths and their chronology, the following scheme is suggested: It is likely that an oblong public building pre-existed in the square block (in the western part) until the dues of the 2nd and the beginnings of the 3rd century A.D., when the bath was founded (phase A). In the last quarter of the 3rd century the complex rather falls in disuse until the second quarter of the 4th century. Then a renovation of the building takes place, which lasted until the years of Gratian and Theodosius (phase B). In the last quarter of the 4th century after a massive destruction, it shrinks and operates for a small period of time until the dues of the 4th or the beginnings of the 5th century A.D. (phase C). The most important transformations in the complex took place during these three main building phases.

• History and Archaeology
• Arts

• Αρχαιολογία
• Architecture, Classical
• Archaeological site location

Η παρούσα δημοσίευση προέκυψε από την κύρια μεταπτυχιακή εργασία του, που υποβλήθηκε το Νοέμβριο του 2008 στον Τομέα Αρχαιολογίας του Τμήματος Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας της Φιλοσοφικής Σχολής του Α.Π.Θ., με τίτλο «Το συγκρότημα των θερμών του κεντρικού δρόμου του Δίου. Ανασκαφή 1977-2007». Ιδιαίτερες ευχαριστίες οφείλει στην καθηγήτρια Αρχαιολογίας Σεμέλη Πινγιάτογλου και στον ομότιμο καθηγητή Αρχαιολογίας Δημήτριο Παντερμαλή. Επίσης, στα μέλη της εξεταστικής επιτροπής, καθηγητές Αρχαιολογίας Θεοδοσία Στεφανίδου-Τιβερίου και Αριστοτέλη Μέντζο για τις χρήσιμες παρατηρήσεις τους., Περιέχει εικόνες και κατόψεις