Baths of Hercules

This article is about the imperial baths in Roman-era Milan. For the Romanian spa town, see Băile Herculane.

The Baths of Hercules (Latin: Thermae Herculianae, Italian: Terme Herculee) were the largest thermae in the ancient Roman city of Mediolanum (modern-day Milan). The structure was built during the late 3rd and early 4th century, under the orders of Emperor Maximian, who had assumed the title Herculius after the divine hero.^[1]

Baths of Hercules

Remains of the complex in the gardens of Largo Corsia dei Servi
Location of the ruins today
Location	Mediolanum
Coordinates	45°27′53.6″N 9°11′45.21″E
Type	Roman bathouse
Area	14,000 m2 (150,000 sq ft)
History
Cultures	Roman Empire

History

The bathhouse stood in the newly-built northeastern quarter of the city until eventually being reduced to ruins. Evidence suggests it was heavily damaged by fire during the barbarian invasions of the 5th century. Whatever remained of the building was almost certainly leveled during Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa's siege of Milan in 1162.^[2]