Long
before recorded history, our ancestors were bathing for pleasure and health. Man
has found many interesting ways to take his bath. The earliest records often
mention the use of rivers for bathing. The Bible speaks of the healing waters of
the River Jordan. Egyptian history mentions bathing in the Nile. And the Hindus
have believed for centuries that the Ganges River has the power to clean the
soul, as well as the body. Several thousand years ago, the
{{U}} {{U}} 31 {{/U}} {{/U}}of the island of Crete, in the
eastern Mediterranean, built {{U}} {{U}} 32 {{/U}} {{/U}}with
running water. The early Jews took ceremonial baths on {{U}} {{U}}
33 {{/U}} {{/U}}occasions, making use of oils and ointments. The
{{U}} {{U}} 34 {{/U}} {{/U}}also had a custom of bathing the
feet of all strangers that came {{U}} {{U}} 35 {{/U}}
{{/U}}their gate. This friendly custom is still practiced in parts of
Palestine. Swimming was {{U}} {{U}} 36 {{/U}}
{{/U}}among the Greeks of antiquity. By the third century {{U}} {{U}}
37 {{/U}} {{/U}}Christ, almost every Greek city of a certain size had at
least one {{U}} {{U}} 38 {{/U}} {{/U}}bath. The wealthy classes
had private baths and pools, some of {{U}} {{U}} 39 {{/U}}
{{/U}}were beautifully decorated. Many of the public baths that
the Romans {{U}} {{U}} 40 {{/U}} {{/U}}utilized natural mineral
springs. Since most of these {{U}} {{U}} 41 {{/U}} {{/U}}were
naturally warm, the Romans took advantage of this {{U}} {{U}} 42
{{/U}} {{/U}}hot water. By the time of the Roman Emperors these baths were
often {{U}} {{U}} 43 {{/U}} {{/U}}in large, marble buildings.
The baths built by the {{U}} {{U}} 44 {{/U}} {{/U}}Caracalla, in
the center of Rome, covered about one {{U}} {{U}} 45 {{/U}}
{{/U}}mile and could hold sixteen thousand people. The Roman
baths were as richly ornamented as a {{U}} {{U}} 46 {{/U}}
{{/U}}. The floors were of marble and mosaic. And statues {{U}} {{U}}
47 {{/U}} {{/U}}the walls. There were rooms in which the Romans could
eat, read {{U}} {{U}} 48 {{/U}} {{/U}}and even watch plays. The
baths included swimming pools, {{U}} {{U}} 49 {{/U}}
{{/U}}baths, steam baths and hot air baths. While public baths
kept the {{U}} {{U}} 50 {{/U}} {{/U}}clean, they also helped to
undermine their character. Men would send the entire day relaxing lazily in
these beautiful buildings. In fact, a famous Roman philosopher, Seneca, said the
Romans were not satisfied unless they were ornamented with precious stones.
While the men were being massaged and rubbed with perfumes and oils, they
discussed their favorite games and gladiators. Sometimes wealthy bathers had the
whole tub or pool filled with wines or perfumes. Many of the roman women bathed
in milk: the Emperor's wife kept five hundred donkeys to carry the milk for her
bath! As a result of all this bath-oriented frivolity, the
early fathers of the Christian church forbade Christians to bathe for pleasure.
They were permitted to bathe only for hygienic reasons.