Washing the masses, washing the self: An architectural study of the Central Bathhouse in Gerasa

Located at the intersection of the cardo and the south decumanus, the Central Bathhouse is the seventh bathhouse identified in Gerasa. From 2002 to 2010, the bathhouse was extensively excavated documenting a prolonged use from the 4th to the 8th cent. through five main architectural phases. The development reflects a changing attitude from communal bathing in large basins to washing in individual basins. This study examines the architectural development of the Central bathhouse, discusses its relationship with its immediate urban surroundings and touch upon some of the quotidian activities involved in a visit to the bathhouse. An addendum discusses the entrance to the bathhouse, a latrine and the cold-water basins discovered in 2009.