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Public Toilets (Foricae) and Sanitation in the Ancient Roman World: Case studies in Greece and North Africa
Antonella Patricia Merletto
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This monograph studies the architectural history of ancient public toilets, called foricae. Using comparative data and historical, archaeological and literary sources, this comprehensive analysis of foricae offers a deeper understanding of their origin in the Hellenistic period. It also examines their diffusion in the ancient Roman world through advances in hydraulic technology and building techniques.Foricae became characteristic features of many Roman cities, playing an important civic and hygienic role. The study of their features reveals various plans, of which the peristyle is undoubtedly the most original. The independent and freestanding peristyle forica of Kos (Greece) is the most opulent example, and the exhaustive survey of the peristyle foricae of the Hadrianic Baths of Lepcis Magna (Libya) and of Gortyn (Crete-Greece) prove the importance of this typology in the history of functional architecture in the Roman Empire .
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Front Cover
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Title
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Copyright
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Of Related Interest
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Acknowledgements
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Contents
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List of Figures
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List of Tables
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Abstract
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1. Introduction
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1.1. Research history
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1.2. Overview of ancient hygienic practices
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1.3. Latrina and forica: terminology
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1.4. The question of gender use in foricae
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1.5. Why this book?
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2. Archaeological evidence of ancient sanitation
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2.1. Forerunners
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2.2. Greece and its colonies
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2.3. Asia Minor
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2.4. Italian peninsula
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2.5. Ancient Greek and Roman urine and faecal containers
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2.5.1. Ancient Greek examples
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2.5.2. Ancient Roman evidence
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3. Water sources, drains and sewers
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3.1. Water sources
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3.2. The parts of a forica
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3.3. Water supply and disposal
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4. Building a forica
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4.1. Introduction
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4.2. Design stage
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4.2.1. Materials and workforce
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4.2.2. Plan
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4.2.3. Foundations
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4.2.4. The excreta channel
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4.2.5. Walls
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4.2.6. Wall decoration
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4.2.7. Floors
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4.2.8. Ceilings and roofs
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4.2.9. Final elements
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5. Foricae typologies
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5.1. Typologies
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5.1.1. Square or rectangular plan
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5.1.2. Peristyle plan
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5.1.3. Semicircular plan
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5.1.4. Geometric plan
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5.1.5. Asymmetric plan
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5.1.6. Undefined plan
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5.1.7. Uncertain attribution
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5.2. Tables of data relevant to typology, geographic distribution, decorative features, and dates of foricae of the ancient Greek and Roman world
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5.2.1. Table 1. Plan Typology/Date
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5.2.2. Table 2. Urban locations/Typology
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5.2.3. Table 3. Typology/Geographic location
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5.2.4. Table 4. Typology/decoration
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5.3. Discussion
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5.3.1. Place of origin and development
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5.3.2. Italy & Rome
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5.3.3. Geographic diffusion and typologies in the High Roman Empire
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5.3.4. Geographic diffusion and typologies in the Late Roman Empire
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6. Development of the peristyle plan forica
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6.1. Definition
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6.2. Brief summary of the evolution of peristyle buildings
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6.3. Distinctive features of house peristylia foundin foricae
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6.4. Archaeological evidence analysis
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6.4.1. Table 1. Chronology
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6.4.2. Table 2. Distinctive features
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6.4.3. Table 3. Geographic location
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6.4.4. Analysis
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7. Case study A. Forica along the cardo of Kos town (Dodecanese-Greece)
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7.1. History of studies and excavations of Kos
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7.2. Location in the ancient city
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7.3. Description of the forica today
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7.3.1. Exterior
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7.3.2. Interior
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7.3.2.1. Entrance room
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7.3.2.2. Room with peristyle courtyard
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7.4. Archaeological evidence
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7.4.1. Interior
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7.4.2. Exterior
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7.5. The anastylosis of the building
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7.6. Water system and drainage
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7.6.1. The springs
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7.6.2. Water distribution in ancient Kos
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7.6.3. Water, drain and sewer systems in the western sectors of the city
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7.6.4. Plumbing, drainage and sewerage of the forica along the cardo
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7.6.5. Later water structures
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7.7. Building and phases of use
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7.7.1. Before the forica
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7.7.2. Phase 1 of the forica
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7.7.3. Monumental phases. Phases 2 and 3
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7.7.4. Phase 4. Change of function and re-use
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7.7.4.1. Phase 4a. The re-use of the anteroom (vestibule)
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7.8. Conclusions
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8. Case study B. Foricae of the Hadrianic Baths of Lepcis Magna (Libya)
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8.1. Historical introduction
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8.2. Travellers, surveys, and studies on Lepcis
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8.3. Water and drainage management
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8.3.1. The water source
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8.3.2. The aqueduct
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8.3.3. The archaeological evidence
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8.4. The Hadrianic Baths
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8.4.1. Location and accesses
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8.4.2. Bath plan and type
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8.4.3. Building techniques
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8.5. The foricae of the Hadrianic Baths
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8.5.1. Forica A
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8.5.1.1. Graphic rendering of forica A
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8.5.2. Forica B
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8.5.2.1. Graphic rendering of forica B
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8.6. Analysis and discussion
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9. Case study C. Foricae of the Praetorium district in Gortyn (Crete-Greece)
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9.1. Introduction
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9.2. Brief historical overview of Gortyn in Antiquity
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9.3. Water, drain, and sewer systems
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9.4. Foricae and their phases
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9.4.1. The Latrina porticata near the Baths of the Praetorium area
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9.4.2. The forica vano 19 on the North Road (Street 1)
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9.4.3. The forica vano 23 on the North Road (Street 1)
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9.5. Analysis and discussion
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10. General Conclusions
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Bibliography
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Appendix 1. Ancient earthquakes relevant to theareas of the case study foricae
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A1.1. Kos (Greece)
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A1.2. Lepcis Magna (Libya)
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A1.3. Gortyn (Crete, Greece)
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Appendix 2. Spolia in the forica of Kos along the cardo
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A2.1. Other decorative and architectural elements present in the Kos forica
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Appendix 3. Catalogue of foricae
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A3.1. Introduction to the foricae catalogue
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A3.2. Square or Rectangular
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A3.3. Peristyle
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A3.4. Semicircular
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A3.5. Geometric
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A3.5.1. Simple Geometric
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A.3.5.1.1. Half-ring
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A.3.5.1.2. Round
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A.3.5.1.3. Hexagonal
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A.3.5.1.4. Octagonal
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A.3.5.1.5. Sigma
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A.3.5.1.6. Trapezoid
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A.3.5.1.7. Elliptical
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A3.5.2. Composite Geometric
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A3.6. Asymmetric
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A3.7. Undefined
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A3.8. Uncertain Attribution
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Location Index Foricae
Citable Link
Published: 2023
Publisher: BAR Publishing
- 9781407360461 (ebook)
- 9781407360454 (paper)
BAR Number: S3131
- Catalogues / Collections / Indexes / Bibliographies
- Late Antiquity and Byzantium
- Roman
- Levant / Near East
- Classical and Hellenistic
- Identity / Gender / Childhood / Ethnicity / Romanization
- Africa
- Greece, Aegean, Crete and Black Sea
- Mediterranean
- Historical and Industrial Archaeology
- Central and Eastern Europe
- Egypt and Sudan
- Arabia
- Western Europe and Britain
- British Isles
- Architecture / Domestic and Urban Buildings and Space / Urbanism
- Multiperiod