THE ANCIENT ROMAN BATHS ARE BEING RESTORED
The ancient Fulvia Caracalla Baths in the Sarıkaya District of Yozgat, built by the Romans thousands of years ago are being restored by the Governorship of Yozgat. The baths have indisputable historical and touristic value.
THE STORY OF THE BATHS
According to local lore, the baths were built by Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus during the time that the borders of the empire were at their widest, for his wife Fulvia Plautilla, whose beauty was famous all over the empire. According to legend, while the Emperor Carcalla traveled in the region in the winter months to familiarize himself with the land before his Persian campaign, he encounters a marshy lake. He sees child-ren bathing in the lake, and the steam rising from the water and the cheerful games of the children entice the Emperor to take a break and bathe himself. As his body is relaxed by the warm water under the bright winter sun, he remembers his beautiful wife Fulvia Platutilla with her long blond hair, whom he had had assassinated in his greed to rule the empire alone. Caracalla, one of the most cruel Emperors in history, feels his heart soften. Here, in the warm water, the emperor who had in fact been madly in love with his wife, feels his greed turn to remorse. He ordersJulius Martialis, the head officer ofthe Imperial Guard who ironically would assasinate the Emperor during the Persian campaign, to build a bath in the name of his beautiful wife Fulvia. The 1.000 Spanish slaves that they brought with them dig the foundations of the bath, then 100 master builders and 2.000 workers quickly construct the baths. When Caracalla Marcus Aurelius embarks on his Persian campaign at the end of March with his armies, they camp in the completed bath complex. Whenever the Emperor submerges himself in the warm waters of the bath, he sees his beautiful wife Fulvia before him. They ride on the next morning, and a few days later they stop to rest in the plains of Harran. There, on April 8th 217, the Emperor is assassinated by Julius Martialis who held a grudge for the Emperor who failed to give him a promotion. As he is stabbed in the back by Julius Martialis’ sword, the Emperor gazes at the sun one last time, and once again sees the image of his beautiful wife Fulvia before him. A smile appears on his lips as he takes his final breath, happy that he will soon meet his eternal love…
