They were built in the 1st century BC. Simultaneously, the forum was monumentalized and they operated until the 70s–80s AD. Lucentum required all the infrastructure it defined and owned as a Roman city. For this reason, the hot springs and the ruins of this ancient city, located in the Tossal de Manises area of Alicante, stand as a vital part of the city. They were not merely places for rest and hygiene. Their purpose extended further as social hubs and spaces for discussion. The baths included a furnace, a hot tub, smoke extraction, and a dressing room.
Around 30 AD, freedman Popilius led their remodeling. Although this narrowed the usable area, the baths still served as a symbol of social prestige. They remained in use in that form until disuse in the 70s–80s, when other baths with better amenities and locations took precedence.
First view of the spa area. INFORMATION
This narrative, condensed into two short paragraphs, spurred years of excavation, study, and debate by the MARQ team. Guided by their findings, the pieces came together like a jigsaw puzzle. Last year’s excavation campaign and this year’s work uncovered the final parts of the hot springs, revealing the building and its distinct rooms. The structure has now been fully understood and its development documented through consolidation and museum study.
Excavations at Lucentum reveal the Popilio baths furnace
MARQ director Manuel Olcina and Rafael Pérez, head of the Architecture Area at the Provincial Council, collaborated with archaeologists Antonio Guilabert and Eva Tendero, along with restorer Manuel Perez.
“This progress was achieved with a modest budget of 21,000 euros to stabilize and reinforce structures in the thermal springs sector of Popilio and integrate them into the site’s museumization,” note Pérez and Olcina, the architects guiding the consolidation and museumization work begun in the early 1990s.
Two phases
In its early days the hot springs included a tavern and a vast dressing room. The facilities, alongside typical features like hot rooms and cisterns, did not function identically to other spas of the era, as explained by Guilabert.
During Emperor Tiberius’ reign around 30 AD, Popilius carried out a major reform, transforming the baths into a semi-private facility. The space allocated to spa use shrank, a shop appeared inside, the rear dressing room area disappeared, and a new boiler was installed. “Popilius claimed ownership of these baths as a personal mark,” Olcina explains, noting that freedmen often justified their status by financing or guarding access to such facilities.
Recreation of the distribution of hot springs in the first stage. Pilar Cortés
Guilabert recalls that freedmen, former slaves, often did not reach magistracy, but Augustus integrated them into the college whether they later held office or not. Popilius was among those who demonstrated loyalty to the emperor. His descendants, however, would gain access to the judiciary, a strategic investment in their family’s future.
Olcina highlights that the baths did not keep pace with technical innovations. Only one room retained a notable feature, a hypocaust used for heating. At that time, thermal baths tended to heat entire rooms; it remains unclear whether builders lacked updates or funds.
Disuse
The baths eventually fell into disuse in the 70s–80s. It is likely that other larger, sun-facing baths with superior layouts and easier water management outshone Popilio’s, leaving it more as a historical keepsake. The city’s dynamic life is evident in its endurance and transformation.
Today, the full history of the hot springs has become clearer. What began as a field of uncertainty has evolved into a coherent narrative, with the site understood in its entirety and recognized for its thermal complex.
View of some of the hot springs. Pilar Cortés
No information exists about the other hot springs that Figueras Pacheco excavated in the 1930s, nor about those found outside the walls near the sea gate. “There are likely more,” it is said, “but this is what we know.”
Lucentum sheds light on Roman society as a whole, even if it is compact in size. A statue of an emperor, of slaves, and of freedmen illustrate life in the empire. The city presents a remarkably beautiful and pristine image of ancient Rome, enabling visitors to gain a vivid understanding of the era.
Its significance and the push to disseminate information about the Alicante Provincial Council’s site elevated it to a Bic status. Consolidation and museumization are vital; otherwise, the area might have remained closed. The next step involves collecting documents and scholarly articles, and publishing to spread the word. Over the past thirty years, MARQ has produced more than 60 publications related to Guilabert and the excavation. Between 2000 and 2003, 18 volumes appeared, and the archives contain 28,000 photographs.
Cultural Deputy Juan de Dios Navarro expresses satisfaction with the project, noting that it confirms MARQ’s international archaeological standing and its commitment to avant-garde exhibition through careful interventions such as the recent consolidation and museumization of the Popilio baths.
According to Navarro, Lucentum is a unique environment for learning about the past within a district that welcomes all audiences—inclusive, accessible, participatory, and pedagogical—dedicated to sharing our heritage at every level of society.
One of the posters shows the wall area with a dynamic backdrop. Pilar Cortés
42 panels with realistic animations
Museumization also included the installation and modification of 42 site signs, the use of more light-resistant materials, and the addition of realistically animated visuals to help visitors understand what they see. The content was updated to reflect gender roles in ancient Rome, including women in the bath scenes. The revision emphasizes presenting history accurately and truthfully, Guilabert notes.