they were built 1st century BCAt the same time the forum was monumentalized and They operated until the 70s-80s AD. Lucentum needed all the infrastructure They defined and owned a Roman city.. For this reason hot springs The ruins of this ancient city, located in the Tossal de Manises region of Alicante, are an important part of the city. And not just as place of rest and hygiene. Its function goes even further a social meeting point and discussion area. It had a furnace, hot tub, smoke extraction and a locker room.
Around the year 30 AD, freedman Popilius was responsible for their remodeling Although it greatly limited its usage area, it was used as a symbol of social prestige. And they stayed that way until they fell into disuse between the 70s and 80s. other spas with better amenities and a better location.
This story, summarized in two paragraphs, led to several years of excavation, study and discussion by the MARQ team, guided by the discoveries made, which led to the pieces of the puzzle being put together like a jigsaw puzzle. If last year campaign dedicated to excavation This year, the last parts of the hot springs were unveiled, revealing the building and its different rooms. consolidation and museum studies of a construction It is now known in its entirety and also in its development.
MARQ director Manuel Olcinaand manager Provincial Council Architecture Area, Rafael Pérez, in collaboration with archaeologists Antonio Guilabert and Eva Tendero, In addition to restorative Manuel Perez.
«This was possible with a small budget of 21,000 euros Stabilize and reinforce structures and structures Corresponding to the sector of the thermal springs of Popilio and incorporating them into the museumization of the site,” underline Rafael Pérez and Olcina, the architects of the process of consolidation and museumization of this archaeological site. Started in the early 90’s.
two phase
These hot springs in their early periodsa tavern, a huge dressing room, These facilities, in addition to typical facilities such as hot rooms and cisterns, “even though they did not initially function like other spas,” says Antonio Guilabert.
During the time of Emperor Tiberius around 30 ADWhen Popilio carries out the great reform It becomes a semi-private facility in this construction. What it does is reduce the space devoted to spas,There is a store inside, the back part where the dressing room was is disappearing and a new boiler is being built. “Popilio takes these baths to identify himself personally, something common among freedmen who maintained their honor by paying for jobs or fences,” says Olcina.
In this sense, Guilabert recalls: freedmen, former slaves, “did not attain magistracybut Augustus ensures that they become part of the college. august seviros “He was a worshiper of the emperor, and Popilius was one of them.” However, his children can now enter the judiciary, so what he is doing is “investing in his family’s future.”
Manuel Olcina highlights these spas «They could not keep up with technical innovations Just like only one of the rooms has this feature, it is a characteristic of its time and applied. hypocaustnamely heating, at that time thermal baths already heated entire rooms; “We don’t know if it’s because the builders aren’t up to date or they don’t have enough money.”
disuse
The truth is that they fell into disuse between the 70s and 80s. “Probably also Other large baths were also built The complete ones, which were already more developed, larger, facing the sun and directing the water more easily, so that Popilio’s would remain more testimonial. He confirms: “He tells us the following situation: dynamism of the city, life in the city».
Now, “We already know the history of hot springs; When we started we had no idea how extensive these were or how many facilities there were. Now the structure is clear and we know these thermal baths as they are.
No information has been found about the other hot springs that Figueras Pacheco excavated completely in the 1930s. Just like the ones discovered outside the walls, near the city’s sea gate. “I’m sure there are more, but this is what we know.”
Lucentum “tells us about Roman society as a whole, even if it is small in size. We have a statue of an emperor, of slaves, of freedmen… The important thing is that we can get to know the Roman world through this city, which is presented as extraordinarily beautiful and clean as ever.
Hence its importanceand disseminate information About this site of the Alicante Provincial Council became known as BIC. According to Olcina, consolidation and museumization in an area is very important because otherwise this area would have to be closed. The next step focuses on collecting all documents and information. informative articles and texts. «We need to sit down and write because it’s great to dig, but then we need to research it and publish it to spread the word.’
In fact, in the last thirty years, More than 60 publicationscommemorates Guilabert and the excavation report is submitted to the Ministry of Culture There were 18 volumes between 2000 and 2003. Moreover, at that time, 28,000 photos these are in the MARQ archives.
Cultural Deputy, Juan de Dios Navarro, He shares his satisfaction with this project, which “proves the consolidation of MarQ and its deposits” international archaeological references It confirms our commitment to avant-garde exhibition through innovative interventions and careful actions, such as the recent consolidation and museumization of the Popilio baths.
According to Navarro, Lucentum is “a unique environment for learning about our past through a district open to all audiences, inclusive and accessible, participatory and pedagogical, dedicated to the dissemination of our heritage at all levels of society.”
42 panels with realistic animations
Museumization also includes the installation and alteration of: 42 signs of the siteIn addition to using more light-resistant materials, to present more realistically animated visuals that will help visitors understand what they are seeing. The changes also affect the content itself, as women were included in these recreations in the baths, as women were also used in ancient Rome. “There revisionism on gender issues and we must show the truth as it is,” says Guilabert.