Antoninus Therms

The Antonine Baths, perched above the Gulf of Tunis, were the largest Roman bathing complex in all of Rome's African provinces, stretching nearly 200 metres in length — rivalling the great imperial thermae of Rome itself. Built during the reign of Emperor Antoninus Pius in the 2nd century AD, the complex used a sophisticated hypocaust system to circulate hot air beneath floors and through cavity walls. Today the massive brick ruins of the frigidarium and scattered column stumps rise dramatically from the Parc des Thermes d'Antonin, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of ancient Carthage. The elevated coastal setting affords wide views over the Gulf of Tunis, and ongoing excavations continue to expose new sections of the sprawling site.