An Elusive Legacy: The Rediscovery of Roman Baths in 18th-Century Britain with Dr Giacomo Savani

For our next event of the 25/26 calendar we are delighted to welcome Dr Giacomo Savani, who is going to speak to us about the rediscovery of Roman Baths in eighteenth-century Britain.Bathing wasn't just about hygiene to the Romans; it was a key part of social and political life. The talk will investigate how eighteenth-century antiquarians reacted when they first came across the remains of Roman bath buildings in Britain, with a particular focus on Buxton and the city of Bath. It reconstructs the antiquarians' varied interests and occasionally wild theories about the ancient practice of bathing, especially regarding the hypocaust system, which heated the baths. Although the renowned antiquarian William Stukeley (16871765) praised the hypocaust as an 'incomparable invention,' the baths' heating system remained a subject of debate among Georgian scholars, who were often confounded by the subtleties of the ancient descriptions. Finally, we'll delve into the elusive socio-cultural legacy of Roman baths in Britain 250 years ago, highlighting how these discoveries influenced, or sometimes reinvented, contemporary ideas about bathing and architecture.Image picture credit: Giunti (ed.), De Balneis, Venice, 1553, plate opposite page 489. Photo: Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles (93B5694), Open Content Program.Where? Strutts Community Centre
When? Friday 8th May
What time? the talk starts at 7.30pm (doors open at 7.00pm, running time total approx 1 hour).Members, the cost of your ticket is covered by the membership fee you have already paid. Please email to confirm if you are attending.
derbyshireclassicalassociation@gmail.comNon-members, please reserve your space by booking a ticket.
It is 5 or 2 for U-18s.
U-16s must be accompanied by an adult.
You can pay on the night with cashor you can make an online payment in advance to:
Derbyshire Classical Association
Sort Code 40-19-15
Account Number 44772709
Reference: SurnameDonations to DCA events and to help support other people's attendance are always welcome.Please contact us at derbyshireclassicalassociation@gmail.com if you would like to become a member OR get support in attending the event OR if you would like to help on the evening and/or get involved with being on the committee.