Chassenon Baths

The Chassenon region was inhabited by the Lemovices, a Celtic people of Celtic Gaul. They were established in Roman Aquitaine, one of the three Roman provinces (alongside Belgica and Lyonnaise) created by Emperor Augustus in 27 BCE. Their capital was Augustoritum (modern Limoges). The city of Cassinomagus lay on the western border of the Lemovices' territory, near the Pictones (capital Poitiers), the Santones (Saintes), and the Petrocorii (Périgueux). of the baths Construction of the baths spanned about 90 years, beginning around 90 CE during the High Roman Empire and concluding around 180 CE. File:Vue des thermes de Chassenon du Nord-Ouest.jpg|View of the baths from the northwest File:Vue générale 2 Thermes Cassinomagus à Chassenon en Charente.jpg|General view of the baths from the southeast File:Maquette ensemble monumental de Cassinomagus.jpg|Model of the Cassinomagus monumental complex == Structure ==

Overview Geophysical surveys indicate the baths cover a square area of per side, with about two-thirds currently excavated. Access was available directly from the Via Agrippa upon entering Cassinomagus. File:Thermes romains de Chassenon.JPG|Heating furnaces File:Thermes de Chassenon8.JPG|Set of furnaces in the northern heating courtyard File:Chassenon - Cassinomagus 29.jpg|Western elevation File:Cassinomagus11180130.jpg|Northern service courtyard File:Chassenon - Cassinomagus 21.jpg|Vaulted foundation room of the baths Upper floor The upper floor was designed for bathers and therapeutic visitors, with the symmetrical layout of imperial double baths, with duplicated palaestrae, gymnasiums, frigidaria, and heated rooms, following a central-to-peripheral path. Outside, two pools and two palaestrae served as solariums, one for each circuit. Materials and decoration Pool floors were made of limestone or marble, with many rooms having wooden flooring. The construction used limestone and impactite stones, the latter formed by a meteorite impact creating the Rochechouart-Chassenon crater. These impactites, varied in color and texture, are resistant to temperature and frost and were quarried south of Longeas. Limestone slabs for wall and floor coverings came from Charente, while granite was sourced from Haute-Vienne. File:Chassenon - Cassinomagus 22.jpg|Heating conduit File:Chassenon - Cassinomagus 2.jpg|Hypocaust pillars File:Chassenon 4.JPG|Window bay File:Chassenon thermes12.JPG|Limestone slabs of a pool File:Chassenon 17 breche.JPG|Impactite, a construction stone of the baths == Water system ==

The baths required at least of water to operate. A primary aqueduct supplied the site, with a secondary aqueduct delivering water to the baths' entrance. Lead pipes fed cold basins and boilers. Wastewater was managed through three systems: a peripheral circuit for rainwater, an underground circuit for basin drainage, and a sewer for latrine cleaning, controlled by valves. == Present day ==

Visiting The Chassenon Baths and the archaeological park offer guided tours or audio guides. In 2010, visitor numbers reached 20,000 annually. Tourism development In the 2010s, development plans included external improvements (welcome center, ancient gardens, pathways, parking), completed by 2012–2013. A second phase proposed replacing protective roofing with a translucent velum dome and building a walkway from the welcome center, costing €9 million. Delayed from 2013 to 2014 due to state funding cuts, the project was canceled in April 2015 by the Charente Departmental Council due to high costs. Research The Charente Departmental Council acquired surrounding land for further excavations to uncover the full palaestra and aqueducts. The temple and theater areas have been surveyed but not excavated. Since 2003, the TherMoNat project has studied the baths' monumental and natural context, focusing on water management. Excavations from 1995 to 2014 were led by David Hourcade (1995–1999, 2003, 2005–2006, 2009–2010, 2012), Stéphane Lebreton (2000), Gabriel Rocque (2009–2010), and Sandra Sicard (2014). File:Chassenon 2.JPG|Southeast entrance of the baths File:Maquette coupe thermes de Chassenon.jpg|Cross-sectional model of the baths File:Vue Temple Cassinomagus 3D © Novo3D.jpg|3D reconstruction of the temple == See also ==