TERME
VIGLIATORE
Terme
Vigliatore is a town of almost 6,000 inhabitants, located in the
province of Messina. It became an autonomous city in 1966, until
then falling within the administrative territory of Castroreale.
It is especially renowned for its thermal baths.
Villa
Romana di Terme Vigliatore – San Biagio. This luxury suburban
residence, dating from the 1st century AD, has not been excavated
fully. It comprises the actual residential quarters, on the left,
and, on the right, a small bath complex reserved for the owners
of the villa and their guests. To the left, is a square peristylum,
with eight columns down each side (only partially excavated). Opposite
is a large tablinum (archive room) with an opus sectile floor made
up of black and white stone pieces laid in geometric patterns, surrounded
with a marble tile border. To the left are the kitchen, which is
next to the tablinum, and the bedrooms.
The
private baths (to the right of the site entrance), extended in two
different phases, are the most attractive part of the complex. First,
there is the semicircular bath, to the left of which is the frigidaium
paved with a fine black and white mosaic depicting a boat with two
oarsmen and a fisherman (with a line). Around the central panel,
are dolphins (at the four corners) and a sword-fish above. The heating
system of the various sections of the baths is also clearly visible.
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