Roman gay baths

Hitting the tubs. Taking the vapours. Making a pilgrimage to Our Lady of the Mists&#;

If you’re a gay man, there’s a possibility you’ve visited a bathhouse at least once, and probably familiar with the ritual.

What happens in a gay bathhouse?

A ‘membership’ fee provides you with entry, a towel, and the privilege to utilise various steam, shower, spa and dry sauna facilities.

There’s some rather nice incidentals too – porn plays on continuous loop, the lighting is flatteringly subdued (or non-existent), and wandering towel-clad through the darkened passages are a bunch of other guys, which you may choose to get to know enhanced in one of the many private rooms.

It all contributes to an atmosphere of being in the — quite literally — steamiest place in town.

Gay bathhouses through history

Though closely aligned with gay customs, bathhouses have been a fixture of the general population from way assist. Community bathing facilities were common in ancient Greek and Roman times, often featuring quite sophisticated heating systems and swish architecture.

Even in these times, bathhouse