Sources of Ancient Healing Thermalism

Cicero ad Atticum 217.6

Way of Transmission
Literature
Datation
November the 27th, 48 BCE
Language
Latin
Literary Genre
Epistolography
Canonical Reference
Cic. Att. 217.6
Thermal Spa Related
Baiae
Bibliography
Hayne, 1996

de Fannio consoler te? perniciosa loquebatur de mansione tua. L. vero Lentulus Hortensi domum sibi et Caesaris hortos et Baias desponderat.

Ought I to offer you my condolences about Fannius? He used to talk mischievously about your staying behind. As for L. Lentulus, he had earmarked Hortensius’ town house and Caesar’s places in the suburbs and at Baiae.

Respecto a Fannio, ¿debo consolarte? Decía cosas sumamente dañinas de tu permanencia. Por cierto que Lucio Léntulo se había asignado la casa de Hortensio, los jardines de César y Bayas.

Commentary

After the death of Lucius Cornelius Lentulus Crus, Cicero says that he had planned to recieve a property in Baiae as a reward for staying on Pompey’s faction.

Related Sources

Cicero ad Atticum 353.2

Cicero, after describing how he recieved Caesar at his villa in Puteoli, on the first day of Saturnalia, explains that the dictator was going to spend one day in Puteoli

Read more »

Related Sources

Plinius Naturalis historia 31.4

Pliny the Elder indicates the importance of mineral and thermal springs were for humans, and how in some occassions, these springs caused the creation of some urbes because the value of these waters for health. In this case, he includes the examples of some of those cities: Puteolos (Puteoli, Italy), (Aquae) Statiellas (Acqui Terme, Italy) and (Aquae) Sextias (Aix-en-Provence, in France)

Read more »