Yes, I’m familiar with the movie Thermae Romae! I don’t particularly dislike it—in fact, there were some scenes that made me chuckle. It’s a pretty amusing film. Actually, I should say it was amusing, since it’s an older movie by now.
The public baths of the Roman Empire were like modern-day large leisure facilities, complete with libraries, gyms, and more. It’s well-known that they were places for socializing. The movie, based on the manga, turns this famous aspect into a kind of fantastical tale. The time-travel element is a bit far-fetched, though.
The idea that the Roman baths were inspired by Japanese hot springs, and that Japanese carpenters and craftsmen helped build them, really leans into the island nation mentality, doesn’t it? It feels like it’s boasting about Japanese construction techniques, which is kind of absurd.
But what were the real Roman Empire public baths like?
This painting was a souvenir from a museum, but I can’t remember what exhibition it was from. It’s a painting by the artist Huppé-Ropère.
The unique atmosphere of the oil painting gives off a slightly unsanitary and somewhat barren vibe, far from the glamorous image portrayed in the Thermae Romae movie. It almost feels disillusioning.
While the baths and buildings in the painting are magnificent, there’s a certain coldness that comes through. The fall of the Roman Empire has been attributed to various factors—there are so many theories that the exact reason remains unclear.
One theory suggests that the existence of slavery led to a mentality where everything could just be done by slaves, which hindered progress and innovation. On the other hand, some believe it was simply due to climate change.
It’s also said that controlling the military became difficult. But what’s the truth? We don’t know.
And that’s why the public baths vanished too. From the painting, you can almost feel a coldness, a calm before the storm, an eerie silence, and a strange grandeur in the architecture. It gives a sense of something ominous.
Even if you don’t know much about history, looking at paintings from that perspective might help you see things differently. It’s something I’ve been thinking about recently.
Rome wasn’t built in a day.
It took a long time to achieve that great empire, and yet, it seems like a lesson in not letting success get to your head.
Still… those baths were enormous!
If I had been around at that time, I probably wouldn’t have gone in—too dirty-looking for me. I’d likely be thinking, Shall I clean this place up?
By the way, today is the opening ceremony of the Olympics in France, but I have no interest in sports. I’ll keep my news-watching to a reasonable level.
