Next on NOVA: "Secrets of Lost Empires: Roman Bath"

http://www.pbs.org/nova/lostempires/roman

Broadcast: January 31, 2006 at 8 p.m. ET/PT

(NOVA airs Tuesdays on PBS at 8 p.m. Check your local listings as
dates and times may vary.)

Many of ancient Rome's engineering secrets originated in one of its
most important institutions: the Roman bath. A vital focus for
leisure and social interaction, the public bathhouse incorporated
intricate systems for plumbing and heating, sophisticated vaulted
ceilings, and a revolutionary new building material we now call
concrete. These buildings represented a new concept of luxury and
sophistication in an age more often marked by violence and squalor.
In Sart, Turkey, NOVA sets out to recreate a working Roman bath,
complete with hot tubs, cold plunges, and underfloor heating, all
designed with a meticulous eye for authenticity. As well as academic
experts, the team will rely on local Turkish artisans proficient in
the ancient techniques of terra cotta tilemaking and metal working.
As with any complex building project, the team encounters glitches
and tempers fray. Will the final product pass muster as an
authentic Roman bath?

Here's what you'll find on the companion Web site:

A Day at the Baths
Wander through the frigidarium, tepidarium, caldarium, and other
vital rooms in our online reconstruction of the famous Baths
of Caracalla.

Construct an Aqueduct
The Emperor has appointed you Chief Water Engineer on an
aqueduct-building project. To successfully ferry water from the
hills, you'll need to learn when to use a tunnel or a covered
trench, a wall, or an arcade. Good luck!

Watering Ancient Rome
Peter Aicher, author of "Guide to the Aqueducts of Ancient
Rome," marvels at the sophistication of the Romans' water
distribution system, which included aqueducts fully 60
miles long.

NOVA Builds a Bath
Plunge into the planning, preparation, and realization of a real
Roman bath, which a NOVA crew of experts built in Sart, Turkey,
on a site that was once part of the Roman city of Sardes.

Real Roman Recipes
Get a taste for dishes and delicacies that Romans might have
sampled while enjoying a bath. Recipes include mulsum (honeyed
wine), boiled eggs in pine nut sauce, and that Roman staple,
garum fish sauce.

Also, resources, the Teacher's Guide, the program transcript, and more.

http://www.pbs.org/nova/lostempires/roman