DESCRIPTION
INFORMATION
 
 
A significant monument of the Late Roman period, the ancient bathing installations were uncovered in the area of the thermal power plant at the location Karavos, near the city of Aliveri. The architectural form and the interior findings attest that the baths were constructed in the fourth century AD, and stayed in use until the seventh century AD. Given the fact that on the island of Euboea (current spelling: ?via) have been located up to date baths of the Roman period in the most important cities, such as Chalkis, Eretria, Aidipsos, most likely also in Karystos, it is highly probable that the Aliveri baths are part of an extended activity tissue within a settlement that should have flourished accordingly in terms of housing development.

The baths of Aliveri are of the sequenced type and the various spaces extend along a 30m long axis, oriented from east to west. They include the fundamental bathing installations, i.e. the changing rooms (vestibulum or apodyterium) and the bathrooms for cold bath (frigidarium), warm bath (tepidarium) and hot bath (caldarium). The floors were paved with large schist slabs and were partially ornate with mosaics. The complex was accessed by an entrance at the southeast corner: the visitor came into the apodyterium, placed there his clothes and personal belongings and moved on to the frigidarium that extended along the north side. Then he went on to the tepidarium and the caldarium, which consisted in vaulted rooms framed by smaller spaces that disposed of bath tubs and small pools. The balneum of Aliveri is classified among the non monumental public complexes of medium size, to conclude from the surface covered by the construction remains that came to light. Morphology elements of the baths, such as the existence of small bathing pools and the absence of a large swimming pool (natatio), correlated with the overall findings and several masonry evidence gathered, attest the dating of the monument's first construction phase in the fourth century AD and the interruption of use in the seventh century AD.

Portable findings collected during the excavation originate from disordered layers (deposits) and are extremely fragmented, a fact that impedes their dating and their accurate typological classification. Pottery groups include table utensils, such as oinochoes (wine pitchers) intended for the consumption of wine by the visitors, and transport vessels such as amphorae. There is also a multitude of fragments of glass unguentaria (perfume bottles), containing aromatic oils for the ointment of bathers. The sparse intact or fragmentary clay oil lamps preserved within the bathrooms ascertain the use of the balneum also during night hours. Among the metallic findings figure numerous iron nails and bronze artefacts. A non exhaustive list would include a leaf-like spatula used by the bathers for aromatic ointments, a (fish) hook, a pin featuring a bird-like head, as well as the cover of a bronze lamp (lychnos) decorated with the bust of a feminine figure, presumably identified with the goddess Athena. Finally, two bronze coins, dated to the fourth and sixth century AD respectively, are exceptionally enlightening as to the dating research concerning the construction phases of the baths.

The particular thermae were uncovered during the excavation conducted between 1995 and 1997 in the area of the thermal power station of Aliveri, on the occasion of construction works in order to extend the administrative quarters. It was then realised that part of the ancient complex had been destroyed during the construction of the plant in the 1950 decade.
Author
Ath. Chatzidemetriou, archaeologist
Dr D. Mylonas, archaeologist