The Roman Thermae of Maximinus are the archaeological ruins of a monumental building and public baths, whose construction was integrated into the urban renewal of the civitas of Bracara Augusta (later Braga), the Roman provincial capital of Gallaecia. The large public/civic construction consisted of a building, housing the baths, and a theatre, although the archaeological excavations continue.
From excavations completed in the region, the thermae complex was constructed in the second half of the 1st century BCE and persisted in some form until the end of the 3rd century. Around the 2nd century, a theatre was constructed. At the end of the 3rd century, the complex was profoundly remodelled, resulting in the substantial reduction in the total area occupied by the thermae; the remodelling of the urban structure was part of the ongoing redesign of Bracara Augusta, into the provincial capital of Gallaecia by Diocletian. This meant that by the 4th century even the theatre was deactivated, and the stones used to construct the city walls. In fact, the remnants encountered confirm the existence of three periods of construction, starting with the first, which corresponds to the pre-thermae period of Julius Caesar and Claudius. The second cycle occurred during the reigns of Flavius and Anthony, represented by the presence of the public baths, which used the pre-existing structure. Finally, the third phase was initially marked by the remodelling of the building, with its courtyard dramatically reduced. By the 5th century, the building and thermal baths were abandoned.
The plan of the building, located on one of the higher hilltops in the municipality of Braga, has not still be completely uncovered.
The complex is of a reasonably large dimension, constructed in the second half of the 1st century, which functioned until the 5th century. Its initial layout included two hot areas and, likely, two areas for autonomous services. These spaces were considerably restricted during the Dicoletian remodelling between the 3rd and 4th centuries.
Following the entrance to the thermae, is the apodyterium (dressing spaces), with natatio (cold pools), before entering the palaestra (gymnasium) or frigidarium (cold baths) followed by tepidarium (warm baths) and caldarium (hot chambers), which were heated by the hypocaust (underground structures formed by arches or pillars, which allowed the circulation of hot air) from the praefurnium (furnace).
The site has not yet been total excavated, resulting in a number of archaeological and temporal questions.
References:The Clementinum is a historic complex of buildings in Prague. Until recently the complex hosted the National, University and Technical libraries, the City Library also being located nearby on Mariánské Náměstí. The Technical library and the Municipal library have moved to the Prague National Technical Library at Technická 6 since 2009. It is currently in use as the National Library of the Czech Republic.
Its history dates from the existence of a chapel dedicated to Saint Clement in the 11th century. A Dominican monastery was founded in the medieval period, which was transformed in 1556 to a Jesuit college. In 1622 the Jesuits transferred the library of Charles University to the Klementinum, and the college was merged with the University in 1654. The Jesuits remained until 1773, when the Klementinum was established as an observatory, library, and university by the Empress Maria Theresa of Austria.