Thermes (hot baths) of Pythagorion

On the eastern side of the “Gymnasium” of Pythagorion, during the second half of the 2nd century AD., a building complex of Thermes was constructed, from which many impressive relics have been preserved to our day.

The rooms o­n the north-western side served as vestries and were used for the preparation in general of those who were to use the baths.

During the second half of the 5th century AD., (possibly even later, in the opinion of the excavators) a three winged Basilica, with many adjoining structures, was constructed o­n the grounds of the Thermes.

One of the chambers of the Thermes o­n the north-western side was converted into a burial crypt in the 7th century AD. while a small domed room, the “laconicum” or “sudatorium” (a type of sauna), was converted into a baptistery. All the structures have been repeatedly repaired and have sustained various modifications.

(In the first picture are the large galleries o­n the southern side, where the installations for the hot baths existed, while the cold baths were o­n the northern side where the octagonal pool was also located. The second picture shows the huge walls, which were decorated with mosaic, and supported the arches.)