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In the city of York, beneath The Roman Bath Pub, are the remains of a caldarium, or steam bath, from the Roman city of Eboracum. This city was built by the 9^th Legion Hispana in 71 AD and occupied by the Romans for nearly 350 years.

During our 2018 trip to York, we visited this fascinating historical site. The bathhouse complex was historically a favourite place for the Roman soldiers to socialise, as well as a place to get clean. The complex was open from dawn to dusk and offered a health spa, food, drink 4, and toilets with running water. There was also a gymnasium, and it is speculated that there may have been a swimming pool. Various rooms offered different grades of heat from cold to very hot.

The caldarium was a hot and steamy room heated by a hypocaust or underfloor heating system using tunnels with hot air and heated by a furnace tended by slaves. We could see the remains of the pillars that supported the floor. In the caldarium, there would originally have been a plunge bath of hot water sunk into the floor.

The soldiers would have applied olive oil to their bodies to cleanse themselves, and removed the excess using a tool called a strigil that was designed for removing dirt, perspiration, and oil from the body.

Next, we saw the remains of the frigidarium, the cold bath. According to the literature provided at the Roman Bath, the soldiers would exercise in the gym and freshen up in the cold bath. They would then move on to the various heated rooms in order to build up their body heat slowly.

We saw four tiles found on the site. Two of these clearly show the impact of nails from the sandals of Romans who trod upon them before the tile hardened after being made. Two other tiles appear to show the seal of the 9th Roman legion, which founded the city of Eboracum in 71 AD.

“Through the Nethergate”

Summary

Margaret, a girl born with second sight, has the unique ability to bring ghosts trapped between Heaven and Hell back to life. When her parents die suddenly, she goes to live with her beloved grandfather, but the cellar of her grandfather’s ancient inn is haunted by an evil spirit of its own. In the town of Bungay, a black dog wanders the streets, enslaving the ghosts of those who have died unnatural deaths. When Margaret arrives, these phantoms congregate at the inn, hoping she can free them from the clutches of Hugh Bigod, the 12th-century ghost who has drawn them away from Heaven’s White Light in his canine guise. With the help of her grandfather and the spirits she has befriended, Margaret sets out to defeat Hugh Bigod, only to discover he wants to use her for his own ends – to take over Hell itself.

Extract

My book, “Through the Nethergate,” features both Nero and Caligula, both exceptionally evil Roman Emperors, as minor characters. You will have to read the book to find out how these two men become involved with Margaret, the heroine, but I can treat you to a short extract:

“The door to the stairwell opened, and two men entered the hall. One of the men wore a loose robe of bright-coloured silk with a handkerchief bound about his neck. His hair was cropped into a bowl shape on top with longer strands curling around his neck. The other man had shorter hair and wore a long-sleeved tunic covered by an embroidered cloak, covered with precious stones. He also wore bracelets.

As they advanced towards Lucifer, his eyes lit up with a savage delight. “Ah, Nero and Caligula, how delightful to see you both. May I introduce you to Hugh Bigod and Margaret?” Lucifer did not extend his introduction to the other members of Hugh’s party. “Pleased to meet you,” Hugh and Margaret greeted the newcomers simultaneously. They had learned from Lucifer’s earlier lessons.”

“Nero and Caligula are going to keep an eye on your friends and you, Hugh. Trust has to be earned, you know that, don’t you?” Lucifer clapped Hugh on the back so hard he almost fell and smashed headfirst into the floor.

Within minutes, the travelers were all squashed inside the coach, ready to journey to their unknown destination. Lucifer gave clear directions to the coachman’s head and then climbed aboard. A few short moments later, they were moving at a steady pace back up towards the earth’s surface.”

Purchase Links

It is available from Lulu.com: Lulu.com

It is also available from TSL Publications as a soft copy book: TSL Publications

The paperback is available from Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Through-Nethergate-Roberta-Eaton-Cheadle/dp/1913294021