Date

Circa 1910

Although referred to as the Temple of Venus by 18th century scholars, this is part of a bath and villa complex. It is now separated from the other ruins, that are part of the Archaeological Park of Baia, by the modern Via Lucullo. Baiae was a Roman seaside resort on the Bay of Naples. It was especially popular from the Late Republican through Imperial eras, since the area provided hot mineral springs thought to be therapeutic. Various emperors and other wealthy Romans had villas there. In 1954 a large number of fragments of ancient plaster casts came to light; they had formed the infill of a cellar room in the so-called Baths of Sosandra. They point to the presence of an active workshop creating sculpture for the wealthy inhabitants. Most of Baiae is now under water in the Bay of Naples, largely due to local volcanic activity. The main part still above the water is the Terme di Baia, remains of a complex of villas and baths. The Terme complex lies on the hillside overlooking the modern town.