Dr Giacomo Savani, Lecturer in Ancient History at the University of Leeds and a founding member of the BATH Network, recently published his latest book: “Rural Baths in Roman Britain: A Colonisation of the Senses.” His monograph can be obtained in paper format and ebook directly from Routledge.

The popularity of baths in antiquity and their archaeological distinctiveness have led both antiquarians and many modern scholars to take their function—and, more crucially, their socio-cultural significance—for granted. This assumption is especially pronounced in the provincial context of Britannia, where baths have often been regarded as expected and unproblematic components of Roman sites. Moreover, the focus has predominantly been on military and public baths, with the varied and complex realm of rural bathing largely overlooked.

This book seeks to redefine our understanding of the relationship between rural baths and the identities of the communities residing in the countryside of Roman Britain. By applying the theoretical framework of sensory archaeology, I explore issues of receptivity, social acceptance, and cultural interaction, thereby broadening our comprehension of the cultural and social transformations occurring in the province. My research uncovers the previously underappreciated role of rural baths in connecting a more diverse range of people than has been traditionally acknowledged. It also underscores the critical importance of sensory experience in the acceptance of bathing practices in rural areas and the affective connections formed by various social groups around these practices.