Ancient bishop’s luxury bathhouse unearthed in Turkey by archaeologists
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Archaeologists have recently discovered the remains of an ancient bishop’s luxury: a spacious bathhouse, unheard of among modern clergy.
According to Anadolu Agency (AA) news, the discovery was made in Olympos, the ancient Lycian port city of Antalya.
The bath is approximately 2,150 square meters in size. It dates back to the 5th or 6th century AD and was annexed to the bishop’s private residence.
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Pamukkale University Lecturer Gökçen Kurtuluş Öztaşkın said in a statement to AA that archaeologists found a Byzantine church decorated with mosaics made of pebbles, as well as ancient cemeteries and houses during the excavations in Olympos.
Öztaşkın noted that the bishop’s bath was “a rather large and ostentatious complex.”
Archaeologists in Türkiye have uncovered a massive Byzantine bathhouse that was once connected to a bishop’s private home. (Süleyman Elçin/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“Bathrooms attached to private residences are often small,” he said.
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“We identified the heating system, stove area and wall heating elements, which are rare examples of their period.”
But the complex was not just a personal pleasure for the bishop.
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Byzantine bishops in the 5th and 6th centuries AD often acted as spiritual leaders of their communities as well as civil officials.
Researchers say the bishop’s bathhouse was unusually large and open to the public for its period. (Süleyman Elçin/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“They managed the wealth of the city and served as spiritual leaders of the community,” Öztaşkın said. he said.
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“The bathroom was not just for the bishop’s private use.”
Relics found on Olympus shed new light on how early Christian leaders lived and served. (Süleyman Elçin/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Although attached to the bishop’s residence, the bathhouse was open to the public at certain times and on certain occasions.
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Öztaşkın said, “It had doors opening to both the street and the residence, and we know that the bishop allowed ordinary citizens to use it free of charge on certain days of the week as part of the public service in terms of cleaning and health.”
The discovery comes months after archaeologists found another important find on Olympus.
The remarkable bath discovery adds to the growing list of ancient Christian sites unearthed on Olympus. (Süleyman Elçin/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Earlier this year, excavators found a 5th-century Christian church with an inscription not seen for more than 1,000 years.
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The message said: “Only right way They can come in here.”
