Roman Balneum of Rafina

It is a Roman balneum (bath) in the Municipality of Rafina that has been systematically excavated since 2013. The site is associated with other important finds, such as an inscribed olive press basin, which is unique in terms of its inscription. The excavations have revealed a complex of rooms, originally of a bathing nature. The central area is a Roman Balneum. It is one of many that have been found all over the Mediterranean. Baths were a key element in the culture of the time, not only for the cleanliness of the body, but also because they were a popular place for social gatherings. They were expensive projects, requiring water and a large amount of fuel to heat the floors and walls. In the 2nd century AD, the Roman Balneum of Rafina was quite large, although we still do not know its boundaries. From the 3rd century, the baths were smaller, but seem to have been more luxurious, which is confirmed by the remains of mosaics and orthomarbles found in some places. Among the most mysterious parts of the excavation is a very large building, approximately 46x21 meters, which occupies the entire northeastern part of the site. In 2015, a second oven was found on the site, in fairly good condition. This element, together with the olive press and the linos (presses) that have been uncovered, show that this was an agro-technical establishment of Late Antiquity, dating back to the 6th century BC. It is assumed that it was a processing area for local products, which were stored in this large building. However, the use of the building has not been confirmed. Finally, it is worth mentioning that students from the Department of History and Archaeology of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (EKPA) participated in the excavations.