Largest Roman Bath Complex Ever Found in the Netherlands Unearthed in Nijmegen

Largest Roman Bath Complex Ever Found in the Netherlands Unearthed in Nijmegen

Archaeologists have uncovered the largest Roman bath complex ever discovered in the Netherlands, revealing new details about the prosperity and urban life of the ancient city of Ulpia Noviomagus Batavorum, now known as Nijmegen.

The discovery was made during archaeological excavations ahead of a residential development project on the banks of the River Waal. Researchers uncovered the remains of an impressive public bathhouse covering nearly 5,000 square metres, making it by far the largest Roman bathing complex ever found in the country.

Image Credit : City of Nijmegen

Dating to the first and second centuries AD, the bathhouse was built when Nijmegen served as one of the Roman Empire's most important settlements in the region. Archaeologists say its enormous size and luxurious decoration reflect the city's growing wealth and strategic importance during the height of Roman rule.

Excavations revealed the foundations of the bathhouse's main bathing areas, including a caldarium (hot bath), tepidarium (warm room) and frigidarium (cold bath), all essential features of Roman public baths. Evidence suggests the complex was expanded over time, possibly to accommodate a growing population or to provide separate bathing facilities for men and women.

Thousands of artifacts have also been recovered from the site. These include fragments of bronze statues, signet rings, a necklace fitted with a gold clasp and hundreds of bone hairpins once used to create fashionable Roman hairstyles.

The building itself displayed impressive craftsmanship. Archaeologists uncovered marble-clad walls, black-and-white limestone flooring, painted stucco decoration and ornamental limestone and sandstone columns, architectural features usually associated with prestigious public buildings across the Roman Empire.

Nijmegen received official city status around AD 100 during the reign of Emperor Trajan. Known as Ulpia Noviomagus Batavorum, the settlement grew beside a Roman legionary fortress and occupied a key position along important trade routes linking the Rhine frontier with the North Sea and the interior of Europe.

Although smaller than the monumental bathhouses of Rome itself, the Nijmegen complex is considerably larger than Roman bathhouses previously discovered at Heerlen and Voorburg, making it the most significant Roman bathing complex ever excavated in the Netherlands.

Rather than removing the remains, city planners will preserve parts of the ancient structure within the new residential neighborhood. A public square named Thermenplein (Baths Square) will commemorate the Roman bathhouse, while covered walkways inspired by Roman colonnades will help showcase the city's 2,000-year-old heritage.

Officials believe the discovery further strengthens Nijmegen's reputation as the most important Roman city in the Netherlands and offers valuable new insights into everyday life along the northwestern frontier of the Roman Empire.

**Rare Roman Pithos Tomb Unearthed at Ancient Hadrianopolis in Türkiye**

Rare Roman Pithos Tomb Unearthed at Ancient Hadrianopolis in Türkiye

Archaeologists excavating the ancient city of Hadrianopolis in northern Türkiye have uncovered a rare Roman-era pithos tomb, marking the first burial of its kind ever discovered in the inland western Black Sea region.

The remarkable discovery was made during ongoing excavations near the modern town of Eskipazar in Karabük Province. The burial was placed inside a large ceramic storage jar, known as a pithos, which was commonly used throughout the ancient world to store grain, wine, olive oil and other agricultural products. In some regions of the Roman Empire, these massive jars were also reused as burial containers.

Image Credit : AA

Inside the pithos, archaeologists found human skeletal remains accompanied by several grave goods. The burial included seven pottery vessels, an oil lamp, a knife, two finely crafted bone hairpins and a bronze coin.

The coin was minted during the reign of Roman Emperor Probus, who ruled between AD 276 and 282, allowing researchers to date the burial to the late third century AD.

The pair of bone hairpins suggests the individual buried in the tomb may have been a woman. However, specialists say further examination of the skeletal remains will be required before confirming the person's sex, age and health.

Excavation director Professor Ersin Çelikbaş described the discovery as an important milestone for regional archaeology.

According to Çelikbaş, this is the first documented pithos burial ever identified at Hadrianopolis and the first known example from Türkiye's inland western Black Sea region. The find provides valuable new evidence about local Roman funerary traditions and burial practices.

Among the recovered artifacts were examples of Pontic Sigillata, a distinctive red-slipped Roman tableware widely traded around the Black Sea. Similar ceramics have previously been uncovered across Hadrianopolis, highlighting the city's active commercial connections with neighboring regions during the Roman period.

Hadrianopolis has a history stretching back more than 3,000 years. The settlement was first established by the Hittites around 1300 BC before later flourishing under Roman rule. During the second century AD, it developed into an important regional center positioned along a major trade route linking the Black Sea coast with central Anatolia and the Aegean.

The newly discovered burial offers fresh insight into Roman funerary customs in northern Anatolia while reinforcing Hadrianopolis' importance as one of Türkiye's richest archaeological sites. Excavations continue each season, and researchers believe many more discoveries remain hidden beneath the ancient city.