Archaeologists excavating a construction site in Nijmegen-West have uncovered the remains of what is now believed to be the largest Roman bathhouse ever found in the Netherlands.
The bathhouse is only part of the story. Excavations have also revealed streets, residential blocks, luxury homes, a tower, and a collection of everyday objects ranging from jewelry to coins. The finds suggest a bustling city that played a more important role in the Roman world than many had imagined.
The project, led by archaeologists from RAAP and BAAC in collaboration with researchers from Radboud University and the Valkhof Museum, began last September and is scheduled to continue through July. According to researcher Stephan Mols, the scale of the newly uncovered structures leaves little doubt about the city’s status during the Roman period.
A Bathhouse Unlike Any Other Found In The Netherlands
Roman bathhouses were much more than places to wash. They served as social hubs where people met, relaxed, and spent time together. In Nijmegen, archaeologists have now identified a complex covering at least 4,900 square meters (52,700 square feet), making it the largest known Roman bathhouse in the country.
According to a press release published in Radboud University, the site is nearly twice the size of previously excavated public bathhouses at Forum Hadriani near The Hague, which measured about 2,200 square meters, and Coriovallum in Heerlen, which covered around 2,500 square meters.
Part of the structure had already been discovered in 1992, but only a small section could be examined at the time. The latest excavation has revealed just how extensive the complex really was.
“A bathhouse was an integral part of a Roman town,” Stephan Mols,an archaeologist at Radboud University explained. “During the excavations, we see only the lower parts of the buildings, often the foundations or sometimes just the spot where they once stood.”
Those traces are enough to show that the building must once have been imposing.
A Complete Roman Neighborhood
The excavation has uncovered evidence of an entire urban district. Alongside the bathhouse, researchers found blocks of houses separated by streets, luxury townhouses and a tower.
The site has also produced a range of smaller discoveries that help bring the ancient city to life. As reported by the excavation team, archaeologists recovered hairpins, jewelry, coins and a bronze bust of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine.
Researchers believe the settlement received city rights from Emperor Marcus Ulpius Trajanus around 100 AD. Soon after, several major public buildings were constructed using natural stone, including the bathhouse. For Mols, the finds reinforce the idea that Roman Nijmegen was a significant urban center.
“The new finds show that the Romans did not regard this city as a backwater,” he said.
Ancient Luxury Powered by Roman Technology
The remains also reveal how much effort and money went into the city’s construction. Archaeologists found traces of expensive materials including marble, limestone and sandstone.
Many of the original walls disappeared long ago. The site was used as a quarry during the Middle Ages and later periods, with building materials removed for reuse elsewhere. Still, important parts of the infrastructure survived underground.
Among the best-preserved features are drainage channels and sections of flooring linked to a hypocaust, the Roman underfloor heating system. Archaeologists uncovered a concrete floor supported by small brick pillars, a key element of the technology used to heat bathhouse rooms.
Mols and his colleagues are especially interested in studying these engineering systems. He also pointed that:
“We can still learn a thing or two from that today. The same applies to the mortar—Roman concrete—which was self-healing: If it cracked, it could repair itself. Knowledge of this is also very useful for scientific research into self-healing materials.”
