Two thousand years ago the citizens of this city, with Jesus' forbears among them perhaps, apparently came here, took off their clothes in the dressing rooms and entered the tepidorium. From there they proceeded to the vapor-enveloped benches of the caldarium, or jumped into the refreshing waters of the frigidarium. Roman baths are one of the most impressive creations of a culture that knew a thing or two about bodily pleasures.
Martina and Elias Shama bought the dilapidated, ancient building in the early 1990s and opened a souvenir and perfume shop on the premises. When they began renovating the beautiful structure, they found a terracotta plumbing system typical of ancient baths. At first, the Israel Antiquities Authority believed that these baths dated from the late 19th century, but as more artifacts were uncovered, it became apparent that this was an enormous bathhouse from the Roman-Hellenistic period and that it had been in operation in the city for centuries - findings that also defy the accepted theory that Nazareth was just a small village in the first century C.E.
Martina and Elias offer a guided tour for individuals and groups that takes visitors deep into the earth to see the layers of the Roman bathhouse.
The hippocaust, a complex system of furnaces and channels that heated the water and directed its flow into the different rooms, is especially impressive.
Cactus souvenir shop,
next to Mary's Well 04-6578539
