The Suburban Baths stand just outside the walls of Pompeii, near the Marina Gate, in a panoramic position on the western side of the city. The complex was built partly over the defensive structures at a time when the walls had already lost much of their military function.
Unlike the city’s large public bathing complexes, the Suburban Baths were more exclusive in character and contained richly decorated rooms. The cold section included a pool and water features, while the heated area comprised the customary rooms for warm and hot bathing.
The erotic paintings preserved in the changing room are particularly well known. Their meaning remains debated: they have also been interpreted in connection with sexual activities that may have taken place in some rooms of the complex.
View this location on the Pompeii Buildings and Places map
Further reading
THE SUBURBAN BATHS IN POMPEII: INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES OF CONSERVATION AND DIGITAL HUMANITIES FOR AN IMPROVED USE AND PERCEPTION – R. Picone and L. Cappelli examine conservation and digital documentation as tools for interpreting the baths and improving the visitor experience.
Dulcissima aequora. Wasserbewirtschaftung und Hydrotechnik der Terme Suburbane in Pompeii – Publisher’s record for Hubertus Manderscheid’s study of the baths’ water management and hydraulic installations.