Supervisors info:
Γεώργιος Πάλλης, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής Βυζαντινής και Μεταβυζαντινής Αρχαιολογίας και Τέχνης, Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας, ΕΚΠΑ
Πλάτων Πετρίδης, Καθηγητής Βυζαντινής Αρχαιολογίας, Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας, ΕΚΠΑ
Στυλιανός Κατάκης, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής Ρωμαϊκής Αρχαιολογίας, Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
ABSTRACT
This dissertation concentrates to the study of the architecture and the spatial organization of a roman-early Christian bath, which was excavated by the Ephorate of Antiquities of Fthiotida and Evrytania in 2006 at Christos Papastamatis plot (site of Agios Nikolaos), on the south fringes of the modern town of Agios Konstantinos of Phtiotida Prefecture.
According to the study of the edifice’s architecture and the movable finds two structural phases have been ascertained. The first dates to the 1st cent. BC up to the 3rd-4th cent. AD, whilst the second is chronologized from the 3rd-4th cent. AD to the 6th cent. AD, when the edifice is no longer in use. During the latter phase, repairs and changes on the ground plan of the bath, such as the restriction of its rooms, are observed, perhaps due to the economic and social conditions prevailing in the region during that period. During the middle byzantine period the building is reinhabited as the discovery of poor structural remains, possibly associated with a structure of agricultural use, indicate.
The bath has maximum dimensions 13,50 x 10,00 m. and E-W orientation. It belongs to the row type and more specifically to a variation known as axial row type. Three major rooms (frigidarium, tepidarium, caldarium) are preserved and another between the frigidarium and tepidarium, which provided access to the cold or tepid bath.
The vast number of movable finds discovered, especially domestic ware (plates, cups, oinochoe and amphorae), as well as animal bones and shells, suggest that eating and drinking were taken place in the building and point up the high social status of the bath’s users.
The discovery of areas adjacent to the bath leads to the conclusion that the excavated structural remains belonged to an enlarged building complex. The study of the small objects collected from these areas (loom weights, stone tools, vessels for storage and cooking) demonstrate that domestic activities were taken place, mainly, cooking and storage. Taking under consideration the character of the aforementioned architectural remains it can be suggested that those belonged to an inn or a private villa. Regardless of the two suggestions, the complex is situated at one of the most important commercial stations of East Lokris, the harbour of ancient Daphnus, a site flourished through whole the antiquity, as important excavations conducted in this region indicate (asclepieion, baths, villas, basilica). To this picture a tessera of knowledge is added with the excavation of the roman-early Christian bath at Christos Papastamatis plot.
Keywords:
bath, architecture, movable finds, roman and early christianic times, axial row type, frigidarium, tepidarium, caldarium, areas adjacent to the bath
