Original subtitles

Narrator: MIST RISES OFF THESE WATERS AS IT HAS FOR CENTURIES.

HOT SPRINGS BUBBLE INTO A LEAD-LINED POOL.

AGAINST THIS ANCIENT BACKDROP

AN UNUSUAL GATHERING IS TAKING PLACE.

ALTHOUGH MOST OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE NEVER MET

TOGETHER THEY WILL TAKE A JOURNEY INTO HISTORY...

WHEN THE PUBLIC BATH

WAS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT BUILDINGS IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

2,000 YEARS AGO

THE BATH WAS NOT JUST A PLACE FOR THE HIGHBORN.

IT WAS A COMMUNITY CENTER

AND A DAILY RITUAL THAT DEFINED WHAT IT MEANT TO BE ROMAN.

Man: IT MUST HAVE BEEN A SIGHT

THE LIKE OF WHICH THE MODERN MIND FINDS DIFFICULT TO IMAGINE.

NOT ONLY IS THERE SPLENDOR OF THE ENVIRONMENT

BUT CROWDS OF PEOPLE.

THERE IS FIRM EVIDENCE THAT MEN AND WOMEN

DID BATHE COMPLETELY NAKED TOGETHER.

AND ALL THE TIME, NOISE.

ROMANS LOVED TO CONVERSE AND ARGUE AND DISCUSS.

PEOPLE WOULD BE SHOUTING AND LAUGHING.

PEOPLE WOULD BE DRINKING.

SOME PEOPLE WOULD HAVE DRUNK TOO MUCH.

PEOPLE WOULD BE SINGING IN THE BATH.

Narrator: UNDERLYING ALL THE LUXURY WERE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES...

COPIOUS SUPPLIES OF HOT AND COLD WATER PIPED IN FROM MILES AWAY

ROOMS OF INTOXICATING WARMTH

MADE POSSIBLE BY SOPHISTICATED HEATING SYSTEMS.

BUT WHEN THE ROMAN EMPIRE COLLAPSED

THE WORLD FELL INTO DARKNESS

AND THE ART AND SCIENCE OF THE BATHS WAS LOST...

UNTIL NOW.

AFTER 2,000 YEARS, NOVA WILL BUILD A ROMAN BATH

AND STRIVE TO UNCOVER THE SECRETS

OF THE MOST TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED BUILDING

OF THE ANCIENT WORLD.

[Captioning sponsored by PARK FOUNDATION, CNET

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL LIFE

THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING

Keach: THE ROMAN BATH WAS ONCE A TECHNOLOGICAL MARVEL.

TODAY IT'S A TECHNOLOGICAL MYSTERY.

A MYSTERY THAT THIS GROUP OF ENGINEERS

ARCHEOLOGISTS AND HISTORIANS ARE HOPING TO SOLVE

AS THEY JOURNEY INTO THE MIND OF THE ANCIENT BUILDERS.

Man: I DON'T THINK THE ROMANS

WOULD HABITUALLY HAVE BUILT SOMETHING THAT DIDN'T WORK.

THEY MIGHT HAVE MADE MISTAKES OCCASIONALLY.

Keach: FIKRET YEGUL IS AN ARCHITECT AND EXPERT ON ANCIENT BATHS.

IS NOT A DESIGN THAT WE CREATED.

WE DON'T EVEN TAKE...

Keach: AFTER A LIFETIME OF STUDY

HE IS DESIGNING HIS FIRST ROMAN BATH

WITH HELP FROM TEOMAN YALCINKAYA

AN ENGINEER WHO WILL BUILD IT.

BUT THE ROMANS LEFT NO BLUEPRINTS

NO TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS.

ALL THEY HAVE TO GO ON

ARE THE RUINS THAT REMAIN AFTER 2,000 YEARS...

CRUMBLING EVIDENCE OF HEATING SYSTEMS

THAT REVEAL LITTLE OF HOW THEY WORKED;

REMNANTS OF PIPE THAT SUGGEST COMPLEX PLUMBING.

EVEN THE POOLS WHERE THE ROMANS BATHED HAVE FALLEN INTO RUIN.

Yegul: THIS IS REALLY AN IMITATION

OF A TYPE OF ROMAN BATH

THAT I HAVE SEEN AND WORKED AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.

THAT'S INTERESTING, BECAUSE I HAVEN'T.

Keach: AMONG HIS COLLEAGUES HERE, FIKRET'S DESIGN IS PROBLEMATIC.

MOST OF THEM THINK IT WON'T WORK.

I THINK WE'RE RATHER A LONG WAY AWAY FROM THE ROMANS HERE.

Keach: WHO WERE THESE ROMAN BUILDERS?

EMANATING FROM THE CITY OF ROME

THEIR EMPIRE SPANNED MORE THAN 3,000 MILES

FROM SYRIA TO SCOTLAND

AND REIGNED SUPREME FOR A THOUSAND YEARS.

FEW CIVILIZATIONS BEFORE OR SINCE

HAVE BUILT WITH SUCH INTENSITY...

SPECTACULAR FEATS OF ENGINEERING AND MAGNIFICENT MONUMENTS.

BUILDING WAS INGRAINED IN THE ROMAN CHARACTER.

Yegul: UNLIKE THE GREEKS

WHO WERE PROBABLY MORE INTERESTED

IN THE PRISTINE BEAUTY OF THINGS

ROMANS WERE MORE FUNCTIONAL PEOPLE.

THEY WERE PROUD TO BRING WATER TO THEIR CITIES.

THEY WERE PROUD TO OPEN COMFORTABLE

AND SAFE HIGHWAYS TO TRAVEL ON

AND BRIDGES TO CROSS VALLEYS AND RIVERBEDS.

Keach: BUT THE REAL GENIUS OF THE ROMAN ENGINEERS

WAS EXPLOITING WHAT THEY LEARNED FROM OTHER CULTURES.

Man: AS THEY SPREAD ACROSS THE MEDITERRANEAN

COMING INTO CONTACT

AND ACTUALLY CONQUERING ONE LAND AFTER ANOTHER

THEY WOULD ABSORB A LOT OF THE IDEAS

AND DEVELOP SOME OF THE TECHNOLOGIES

THAT HAD BEEN STARTED IN OTHER LANDS.

Keach: WITH IDEAS, MONEY AND SLAVE LABOR

APPROPRIATED FROM CONQUERED NATIONS

THE EMPERORS OF ROME BUILT INCREASINGLY COMPLEX STRUCTURES.

AMONG THEM, THE BATHS.

THE ROMANS BUILT SO MANY OF THEM

THE BATHS BECAME AN EXPERIMENTAL LABORATORY

TO TEST OUT NEW CONCEPTS.

Yegul: THE BATHS OCCUPY A SPECIAL POSITION

IN THE COURSE OF ROMAN ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE.

IT'S A BUILDING TYPE

EXTREMELY ADVANCED IN ITS VAULTING TECHNIQUES

WATER SUPPLY AND HEATING TECHNIQUES

AND SOME OF THE EARLIEST EXPERIMENTS

IN ROMAN CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY.

Keach: IN MODERN-DAY TURKEY

LIES AN ANCIENT ROMAN CITY CALLED SARDIS.

IT'S HERE, IN THE SHADOW OF THE BATH AT SARDIS

THAT NOVA WILL TRY TO UNCOVER

THE SECRETS THAT HAVE BEEN LOST FOR CENTURIES.

BUILDING A ROMAN BATH

BEGINS THE SAME WAY IT DID 2,000 YEARS AGO...

WITH A GOOD PIECE OF LAND.

FIKRET YEGUL HAS ARRIVED WITH TEOMAN YALCINKAYA

AN ENGINEER WITH AN INTERESTING SIDELINE.

I THINK THIS SITE

MAY BE THE IDEAL PLACE

FOR THE PLACEMENT OF THE BATH.

Keach: FOR 30 YEARS, TEOMAN HAS ALSO BEEN A MEMBER

OF THE SARDIS EXCAVATION TEAM.

NOW, THE SUN IS RISING HERE...

FROM THE EAST, FROM OVER THERE

AND GOING TO THE WEST OVER THERE.

Keach: THE ROMANS UNDERSTOOD SOLAR HEATING

AND MADE BEST USE OF THE SUN'S WARMTH BY ORIENTING THE WINDOWS

OF THE HOTTEST ROOM TOWARD THE SOUTH.

WITH AN EXPOSURE

TO THE SOUTH AND THE WEST

WE HAVE THE IDEAL ROMAN WAY OF DOING THINGS.

Keach: THE NEXT STEP IS TO MARK

THE FOOTPRINT OF THE BUILDING IN THE GROUND.

THIS BATH WILL BE SMALL, LIKE THE PRIVATE BATHS

ATTACHED TO THE HOMES OF VERY RICH ROMANS.

THE SHEEP ARE ABOUT TO LOSE

THEIR FAVORITE GRAZING AREA TO AN EXPERIMENT IN HISTORY.

IT WILL TAKE ALL DAY JUST TO MARK AND PREPARE THE FOUNDATION.

IN THE MEANTIME, GARRETT FAGAN HAS ALSO ARRIVED IN TURKEY.

AN EXPERT IN ROMAN CULTURE

HE IS HERE TO EXPERIENCE A TURKISH HAMAM

A DIRECT DESCENDANT OF THE ROMAN BATH.

Fagan: THIS IS A HOT ROOM.

IT'S OVER 100 DEGREES IN HERE

AND I HAVE TO PERSPIRE IN HERE.

WHAT I DO IS I LIE DOWN ON THIS SLAB

AND FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES, AND RELAX AND SWEAT.

IN THE ROMAN BATH, THE SYSTEM WAS QUITE DIFFERENT.

THEY WOULD COME INTO A MEDIUM HEATED ROOM

WHERE THEY WOULD BE OILED DOWN BY A SLAVE.

THEY MIGHT HAVE DIRT THROWN ON THEM AT THAT STAGE

IF THEY WANTED TO WRESTLE OUTSIDE.

THE NEXT PROCESS WAS TO GO OUTSIDE

INTO THE EXERCISE YARD, THE PALAESTRA.

Keach: THE EXERCISE WASN'T STRENUOUS.

IT WAS JUST MEANT TO WORK UP A SWEAT.

THE ROMANS WOULD HAVE COME IN FROM THE EXERCISE GROUND

COVERED IN THEIR OIL AND SWEAT...

AND THERE THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN STRIGILED

IN THIS RATHER UNUSUAL PROCESS

INVOLVING THESE IMPLEMENTS CALLED STRIGILS.

Keach: ROMANS DID NOT HAVE SOAP.

THEY JUST SCRAPED OFF THE DIRT AND OIL.

Fagan: THEN THEY WOULD FLICK IT ONTO THE GROUND

AND ONTO THE WALLS OF THE BATH.

IMAGINE THE GERMS AND BACTERIA

THAT ACCUMULATED IN THIS SUBSTANCE

THAT THE GREEKS CALLED "GLOIOS."

Keach: UNAWARE OF GERMS

ROMAN DOCTORS COLLECTED THE GLOIOS FROM THE FLOOR

AND MIXED IT INTO MEDICINAL OINTMENTS.

AFTER SPONGING DOWN

THE NEXT STEP WAS DECIDEDLY LESS PLEASANT.

BODY HAIR WAS NOT FASHIONABLE IN ANCIENT ROME

SO THE BATHER COULD HIRE A DEPILATOR... A HAIR PLUCKER.

Fagan: AND THEY WOULD PLUCK OUT THE HAIRS

EVEN THEIR UNDERARM HAIRS.

AND, IN FACT, SENECA THE YOUNGER

HE DESCRIBES THE HOWLS OF THE DEPILATORS

WHO ARE LOOKING FOR CUSTOMERS

WHICH ARE ONLY EXCEEDED

BY THE HOWLS OF THE CUSTOMERS WHO ARE BEING PLUCKED.

Keach: AFTER A GENTLE SOAPING, GARRETT'S HAMAM WILL BE OVER.

BUT A ROMAN BATH LASTED SEVERAL HOURS

CULMINATING IN THE CALDARIUM

WHERE THE FLOOR WAS SO HOT

WOODEN SANDALS WERE AN ABSOLUTE NECESSITY.

THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON WAS SPENT SOCIALIZING

AND ARRANGING THE EVENING'S ACTIVITY.

GARRETT ALSO HOPES TO EXPERIENCE A ROMAN BATH...

BUT HE'LL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL IT'S BUILT.

AS GROUNDBREAKING BEGINS

TEOMAN HAS A TOUGH JOB AHEAD OF HIM.

LIMITED TO THE TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES

KNOWN IN ANCIENT TIMES

HE HAS AGREED TO BUILD THE BATH IN SEVEN WEEKS.

FOR THE ROMANS, IT MIGHT HAVE TAKEN MONTHS.

NOVA SET UP A TIME-LAPSE CAMERA

TO CAPTURE EVERY MINUTE OF THE ACTION.

THE STONES HAVE BEEN DELIVERED

AND THE FOUNDATION BEGINS TO TAKE SHAPE.

THERE WILL BE THREE ROOMS...

THE BARE NECESSITY FOR A PROPER ROMAN BATH.

THE FRIGIDARIUM, OR COLD ROOM

WILL HAVE A ROUND COLD POOL IN THE APSE.

THE TEPIDARIUM, OR WARM ROOM

IS WHERE THE BATHERS WILL CHANGE THEIR CLOTHES

AND HAVE A MASSAGE.

AND IN THE CALDARIUM, OR HOT ROOM

THERE IS A HEATED POOL TOWARD THE BACK.

FROM COLD TO WARM TO HOT...

IT'S ALL A PRODUCT OF THE HEATING SYSTEM.

BELOW THE HOT POOL

A FIREPLACE OR FURNACE WILL HEAT THE FLOOR

THREE WALLS OF THE CALDARIUM, AND ONE WALL OF THE TEPIDARIUM.

WHETHER THE HEATING SYSTEM WILL WORK OR NOT

REMAINS TO BE SEEN.

THE WALLS MUST GO UP.

TWO WEEKS OF WORK IS COLLAPSED INTO 20 SECONDS.

HERE, ONE OF ROME'S GREATEST ENGINEERING ACHIEVEMENTS

IS BEGINNING TO TAKE SHAPE.

THE VAULTED OR DOMED ROOF

WAS A TECHNOLOGICAL LEAP FORWARD IN ARCHITECTURE.

BEFORE THE ROMANS, THE GREEKS ALSO BUILT LARGE BUILDINGS.

THE INTERIORS WERE FILLED WITH COLUMNS

TO SUPPORT THE HEAVY FLAT ROOF ABOVE.

BUT THE ROMANS PERFECTED A BETTER IDEA.

THEY BUILT THE ROOF IN SECTIONS FORMING A CURVE.

AT THE TOP, A KEYSTONE IS DROPPED IN.

THE DOWNWARD THRUST OF THE KEYSTONE

PUSHES THE SECTIONS OUTWARD

CREATING A PRESSURE THAT HOLDS THE ENTIRE ROOF TOGETHER.

WITH THE CURVED ROOF, THE COLUMNS ARE UNNECESSARY.

THE ROOF SUPPORTS ITSELF

FREEING AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF INTERIOR SPACE.

BY THE SECOND CENTURY A.D.

THE ROMANS HAD ENGINEERED THE ULTIMATE DOME...

THE PANTHEON, A TEMPLE TO ALL THE GODS.

FOR 1,500 YEARS IT STOOD

AS THE LARGEST OPEN INTERIOR SPACE IN THE WORLD.

THIS REMARKABLE BUILDING OWES ITS EXISTENCE

TO THE THOUSANDS OF BATHS BUILT BEFORE IT.

WITH EACH ONE

THE ROMANS PERFECTED THE ART AND SCIENCE OF THE DOME.

Yegul: THE GREAT DOME OF THE PANTHEON HAD ALREADY BEEN EXPERIMENTED

BY DOMES REACHING HALF THAT SIZE...

WHICH IS STILL RESPECTABLE...

IN BATH BUILDINGS THAT WERE BUILT

A GOOD 60, 70 YEARS BEFORE THE PANTHEON.

THEY WERE REALLY THE FORERUNNERS IN ROMAN BUILDING TECHNOLOGY

AND VERITABLE LABORATORIES OF WORKING WITH VAULTING.

Keach: OUR VAULTED ROOF IS MADE OF BRICK.

THE WOOD FORMS MAINTAIN THE DOMED SHAPE

AND HOLD THE BRICKS IN PLACE UNTIL THE ROOF IS FINISHED.

A THIN PIECE OF WOOD

ENSURES THE CORRECT DISTANCE AND ANGLE BETWEEN BRICKS.

IT WILL TAKE SEVERAL DAYS TO COMPLETE THE ROOF.

MEANWHILE, TONY ROOK AND HIS COLLEAGUE, BRYAN SCOTT, HAVE ARRIVED.

HELLO, LOVELY TO SEE YOU, LOVELY.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

MY PLEASURE, FIKRET.

FIRST TIME IN TURKEY, EH?

YES.

Keach: AT THEIR FIRST MEETING

TONY WAS SKEPTICAL OF FIKRET'S DESIGN...

ESPECIALLY THE HEATING SYSTEM.

NOW, I THINK WHAT WE'VE GOT... WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE...

IS CONSTRUCT SOMETHING THAT THE ROMANS WOULD HAVE BUILT.

Keach: TONY THOUGHT IT WOULD NEVER HEAT UP PROPERLY

AND SOON ENOUGH HE WILL FIND OUT IF HE WAS RIGHT.

Rook: THE CALDARIUM ON THE NORTH SIDE.

Keach: BEFORE HE STUDIED ARCHEOLOGY

TONY WAS A BUILDING MATERIALS SPECIALIST.

OUR RUBBLE IS A LOT MORE RUBBLELY

BECAUSE WE USE FLINT.

Yegul: YEAH, I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

Keach: AND ONE MATERIAL IN PARTICULAR NOW GOING ON THE VAULTED ROOF

IS CONSIDERED BY MANY

TO BE ROME'S GREATEST CONTRIBUTION TO ENGINEERING...

CHEAP, DURABLE, VERSATILE CONCRETE.

CONCRETE ENABLED THE ROMANS TO BECOME SPECTACULAR BUILDERS.

WITHOUT IT, THE COLISEUM WOULD NOT EXIST

NOR WOULD THE PANTHEON.

Rook: CONCRETE HAS GREAT ADVANTAGE OF BEING CAST.

IN OTHER WORDS, YOU CAN MAKE IT ANY SHAPE YOU LIKE.

IT HAS THE GREAT ADVANTAGE OF BEING STRONG

SO YOU CAN MAKE SHAPES WHICH BRIDGE LARGE SPACES

AND THEREFORE YOU CAN MAKE THINGS LIKE GREAT, BIG PUBLIC BATHS.

Keach: THE RECIPE FOR CONCRETE WAS WRITTEN DOWN

BY THE ROMAN ARCHITECT, VITRUVIUS, IN THE FIRST CENTURY B.C.

THE MAIN INGREDIENT COMES FROM ONE OF THE MOST COMMON MATERIALS IN THE WORLD, LIMESTONE.

BUT IF YOU TAKE ORDINARY LIMESTONE...

WHICH IS A PRETTY HEAVY SORT OF STUFF...

AND HEAT IT TO RED HOT

AND LEAVE IT LONG ENOUGH AT RED HOT

WHEN IT'S FINISH, YOU GET STUFF WHICH IS LIKE THIS.

WHICH IS A VERY, VERY LIGHT MATERIAL

AND THAT'S CALLED QUICKLIME.

Keach: QUICKLIME IS CHEMICALLY VERY DIFFERENT FROM LIMESTONE;

ALL THE CARBON DIOXIDE HAS BEEN BURNED OFF.

THEN, WHEN WATER IS ADDED

SOMETHING STRANGE STARTS TO HAPPEN.

Rook: YOU CAN HEAR IT'S STARTING TO DO SOMETHING...

IT STARTS CRACKLING.

ALL THE HISSING IS JUST STEAM COMING OUT OF IT.

EACH INDIVIDUAL BIT IS SWELLING AND TURNING INTO A NEW MATERIAL

BECAUSE IT IS VERY, VERY HOT NOW.

IN FACT, YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO PUT YOUR HAND CLOSE TO IT NOW.

IT'S SLOWLY TURNING ITSELF

INTO ONE OF THE FINEST POWDERS YOU CAN MAKE

WHICH IS CALLED HYDRATED LIME, OR JUST LIME.

Keach: AS MORE WATER IS ADDED, THE POWDER TURNS INTO A PUTTY

ADHESIVE ENOUGH TO BOND THE COURSE MATERIALS

THAT MAKE UP CONCRETE

Rook: LOOK, IT'S ACTUALLY BOILING IN FRONT OF ME NOW

AND BLOWING UP NICE BUBBLES OF STEAM.

Keach: ADDED TO THE LIME, SAND AND AN AGGREGATE OF ROCK.

TO MAKE THE CONCRETE WATERPROOF

THE ROMANS ALSO MIXED IN CRUSHED TILE.

THEY PREFERRED VOLCANIC ASH

BUT IT WASN'T AVAILABLE IN MOST PLACES.

YOU FINISH UP WITH A BEAUTIFUL PINK CONCRETE

ABSOLUTELY CHARACTERISTICALLY ROMAN.

YOU FIND IT IN HYPOCAUSTS... YOU FIND IT IN BATHS...

PLACES WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE UNDERWATER

WHERE YOU WANT A WATERPROOF MATERIAL.

Keach: ALMOST FOUR WEEKS... MORE THAN HALF THE TIME HAS PASSED...

AND TEOMAN IS ANXIOUS TO MOVE ON.

WITH THE EXTERIOR WORK MOSTLY DONE

IT IS TIME TO TACKLE THE HARDEST PART...

THE HEATING SYSTEM INSIDE.

THE ROOF FORMS OVER THE FRIGIDARIUM

WILL STAY UP A LITTLE WHILE LONGER.

BUT THE HEATING SYSTEM GOES IN THE TEPIDARIUM AND CALDARIUM

SO THERE THE SCAFFOLDING MUST COME DOWN.

TEARING DOWN THE VAULT PLANKING IS A NERVE-WRACKING PROCESS.

IF THE ROOF WASN'T BUILT RIGHT, IT MIGHT NOT HOLD TOGETHER.

EVERYONE IS RELIEVED WHEN THE ROOF STAYS UP.

THE HEART OF THE HEATING SYSTEM IS THE FIREPLACE

OR FURNACE AS THEY CALL IT.

FIKRET IS PUTTING ON THE FINAL TOUCHES.

OH, MAX!

Max: HELLO.

WELCOME, GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE, HI!

Keach: MAX FORDHAM AND HIS COLLEAGUE, TRISTAN COUCH

ARE HEATING ENGINEERS.

MAX HAS DESIGNED

SOME OF THE MOST COMPLEX CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEMS IN THE WORLD

INCLUDING BRITAIN'S TATE GALLERY AND THE SAVOY THEATRE.

IT'S LONG...

YEAH, AND IT'S OUR, UH, HEATING CANAL.

Keach: THESE RUINS FROM BATH, ENGLAND

SHOW THAT THE HEATING SYSTEM WAS A TOUR DE FORCE OF ROMAN ENGINEERING.

THEY EVEN HAD A NAME FOR IT, HYPOCAUST

WHICH MEANS "FIRE UNDERNEATH".

A ROMAN WRITER CREDITED THE INVENTION OF THE HYPOCAUST

TO AN ENTREPRENEUR NAMED SERGIUS ORATA AND HIS LOVE FOR OYSTERS.

ORATA WANTED TO CULTIVATE AND SELL OYSTERS

BUT HE NEEDED A CONSTANT SUPPLY OF WARM WATER TO BREED THEM.

SO HE MOUNTED OYSTER PANS ON PILLARS

AND LIT A FIRE UNDERNEATH.

THE HOT AIR CIRCULATED BENEATH THE OYSTER BEDS

HEATING THE WATER INSIDE.

THE BEST TEMPERATURE FOR BREEDING

WAS ACHIEVED BY ADJUSTING THE SIZE OF THE FIRE.

IT'S A GOOD STORY, BUT MOST HISTORIANS DON'T BUY IT.

WE HAVE A NUMBER OF EXAMPLES...

ARCHEOLOGICALLY BACKED EXAMPLES...

THAT SHOW US THAT THE HYPOCAUST SYSTEMS

OR QUASI-HYPOCAUST SYSTEMS...

THINGS THAT LOOKED LIKE HYPOCAUSTS... WERE BEING USED

EVEN DURING A GENERATION OR TWO BEFORE ORATA'S TIME.

Keach: THERE'S NOTHING IN THE RECORD

ABOUT HOW WELL ORATA'S OYSTER BUSINESS DID

BUT THERE'S A GREAT DEAL OF EVIDENCE

THAT HYPOCAUSTS EVENTUALLY HEATED EVERY ROMAN BATH BUILT.

THE HYPOCAUST STARTS IN THE FURNACE

WHICH CONNECTS TO THE CALDARIUM, THE HOTTEST ROOM.

THERE IS AN OPENING ON THE RIGHT TO THE TEPIDARIUM...

THE WARM ROOM.

PILLARS, CALLED PILAE

WILL RAISE THE FLOOR ABOUT THREE FEET.

ON TOP OF THE PILAE

LARGE FLOOR TILES, CALLED BIPEDALIS, WILL BE INSTALLED.

A LAYER OF CONCRETE GOES ON TOP

AND THEN ANOTHER LAYER OF MARBLE.

FOR THE SYSTEM TO WORK

THE HOT GASES ARE DRAWN FROM THE FURNACE THROUGH THE ROOMS

WHERE THEY RISE AND SPREAD OUT HEATING THE FLOOR AS THEY GO.

THERE ARE FOUR FLUES, OR CHIMNEYS

TO DRAW THE HOT GASES TOWARD THEM

PROMOTING THE CIRCULATION OF THE HEAT

AND PROVIDING A WAY OUT FOR THE SMOKE.

PART OF MAX'S ROLE

IS TO ASSESS WHETHER THE GASES WILL FLOW PROPERLY.

IF THE SYSTEM ISN'T PULLING A DRAFT

IT WILL NEVER HEAT UP THE BATH.

DON'T BREATHE IT.

YOU SEE, THE WIND'S DRIFTING ABOUT

AND THEN WE'LL SEE... WHERE IT'S...

IT'S GOING QUITE NICELY IN, LOOK.

THERE WE GO.

Keach: THIS IS A GOOD SIGN

THAT THE SYSTEM MIGHT BE WORKING PROPERLY...

TAKING AIR FROM THE OUTSIDE AND DRAWING IT IN.

BUT WILL THE CHIMNEYS DRAW AIR AS WELL?

MAX STEPS INSIDE THE CALDARIUM TO CHECK.

THE FLAME'S DRAWING.

YOU SEE THEY'RE NOT GOING IN YET.

Keach: HIS METHOD IS DECIDEDLY LOW TECH

BUT IT MAY WELL HAVE BEEN HOW THE ROMANS TESTED IT, TOO.

Rook: OH, DEAR, YES, YOU'RE RIGHT.

LIKE ANYTHING.

GOOD GRIEF.

AND THEN, YOU SEE

EVEN BEING DRAWN DOWN THERE.

Keach: NEXT, MAX GOES TO THE FURNACE TO SEE IF THE HEAT OF THE FIRE

WILL BE DRAWN INTO THE ROOM AS IT SHOULD.

OH, LOOK AT THAT!

Rook: LOOK AT THAT.

Yegul: IT'S COMING... IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

IT'S PLAYING LIKE ANYTHING IN.

RIGHT, AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED.

Keach: THIS MIGHT LOOK LIKE A GOOD SIGN, BUT THE ROOM IS WIDE OPEN.

IF THE RAISED FLOOR ISN'T DESIGNED AND INSTALLED PROPERLY

THE GAS FLOW COULD BE BLOCKED AND THE ROOM WON'T HEAT.

Fordham: ABOUT AS FAST AS THAT

Keach: THE MEN START BUILDING THE PILAE.

Fordham: TRISTAN, HERE I COME!

Keach: AFTER THE MORTAR SETS, MAX TRIES TO CRAWL THROUGH.

THE ROMANS WOULD HAVE BUILT THE HEATING SYSTEM

LARGE ENOUGH FOR A SLAVE TO FIT UNDER FOR CLEANING OR REPAIR.

IT'S JUST AS WELL I HAVEN'T GOT MY SMART SHOES ON.

WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO IS IMAGINE THAT, UM...

I'M SEVEN YEARS OLD AND RATHER SMALL.

Keach: THE PILAE IN THIS BATH

ARE SEVERAL CENTIMETERS CLOSER TOGETHER

THAN THE ROMANS USUALLY BUILT THEM.

MAX WORRIES IT WILL IMPEDE THE FLOW OF HOT GASES.

Couch: DO YOU THINK YOU CAN DO A LEFT HAND TURN THERE.

I'M JUST WONDERING.

Keach: BUT THE SPACING OF THE PILAE

WAS LIMITED BY THE SIZE OF THE TILES THAT WILL GO ON TOP.

I SUPPOSE YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER

THAT YOU'VE GOT TO GET OUT AGAIN.

YEAH.

Keach: MAKING THOSE TILES

WAS A FRUSTRATING AND EXPENSIVE LESSON FOR TEOMAN.

AND NOW HE HAS TO FACE THE CRITICISM OF TONY ROOK.

THESE DON'T LOOK VERY MUCH

LIKE THE TILES WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, DO THEY?

WHAT HAPPENED?

YEAH, WE HAD PROBLEMS

WITH THE MANUFACTURE OF TILES

BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME

TO DRY THEM OUT.

Keach: THE CLAY TILES KEPT CRACKING.

SOME EVEN EXPLODED INSIDE THE KILN.

THE ROMANS WOULD HAVE LET THEM DRY FOR MONTHS, EVEN YEARS.

BUT TEOMAN ONLY HAD A FEW WEEKS.

THE FINAL SOLUTION WAS DECIDEDLY UNROMAN.

Yalcinkaya: AT THE END, WE COME TO A SOLUTION

OF HAVING A FRAME MADE OF STEEL

TO SUPPORT THE TILES, WHICH ARE CRACKED.

INSTEAD OF PUTTING A ONE-PIECE TILE LIKE THIS...

OH, DEAR.

WE ARE GOING TO PUT THE TILES IN THE FRAMES.

SO IT'S GOING TO SUPPORT IT.

WE DON'T HAVE TIME... WE HAVE A SCHEDULE.

THEY HAVE TO CATCH UP WITH THE SCHEDULE.

SO, THEREFORE, WE FOUND THIS SOLUTION.

I LIKE THIS, ANYWAY.

THEREFORE, WE...

WE'RE LEARNING A LOT HERE, YOU KNOW.

WE'RE LEARNING THE ROMANS

KNEW HOW TO DO IT, AND WE DON'T.

Keach: THE FLOOR TILES, EACH IN A STEEL FRAME

ARE CAREFULLY PLACED A FEW INCHES AWAY FROM THE WALL.

THE REASON WILL SOON BE APPARENT.

FOR CENTURIES, THE ROMANS ONLY USED UNDER-FLOOR HEATING.

THEN, AROUND THE FIRST CENTURY A.D.

ARCHEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE REVEALED SOMETHING NEW.

THIS IS EPHESUS, TURKEY

A NEARBY ROMAN CITY WITH SEVERAL BATHS...

AND EACH ONE REVEALS A SURPRISING NEW ADDITION...

HOLLOW CLAY BOXES, CALLED TUBULI

LINING THE WALLS OF THE HEATED ROOMS.

THE ROMANS HAD INTRODUCED RADIANT WALL HEATING

WHICH MADE THE SYSTEM MUCH MORE COMPLEX.

THE TUBULI ARE PLACED OVER THE HOLE

BETWEEN THE LEDGE AND THE FLOOR TILE.

WHEN STACKED ON TOP OF EACH OTHER

A VERTICAL CHANNEL IS FORMED FOR HOT GASES TO RISE.

THE ROUND HOLES, PLACED SIDE BY SIDE, CREATE A HORIZONTAL PATH

SO THE GASES CAN ALSO CIRCULATE ACROSS THE WALL.

BUT WHAT TO DO WHEN THEY GET TO THE TOP IS A MYSTERY.

THIS ANCIENT BATH AT EPHESUS HAS NO ROOF.

THE GRAND IMPERIAL BATHS OF CARACALLA IN ROME HAVE NO ROOF

AND NEITHER DOES THE BATH AT SARDIS.

THERE ARE SO FEW ARCHEOLOGICAL REMAINS

THAT OUR TEAM DIFFERED WIDELY

ABOUT HOW THE HOT GASES MIGHT FLOW THROUGH THE TUBULI

AND VENT OUT.

Yegul: WE KNOW HOW CONCRETE WORKS.

WE KNOW HOW CROSS VAULTS AND BARREL VAULTS WORK.

THERE'S NO PROBLEM THERE.

THE PROBLEM IS THOSE SORT OF SMALL DETAILS OF HEATING

AND HOW THE TUBULI WORK

HOW THE TUBULI ACTUALLY PULL THE HOT AIR, HOW THE CHIMNEYS WORK.

AND TO THIS DAY, WE DO NOT KNOW

JUST HOW HOT WAS A ROMAN BATH?

WE HAVE NO IDEA.

Keach: THE SYSTEM THEY SETTLED ON WORKS LIKE THIS.

ALONG THE OPEN EDGES OF THE FLOOR

THE HOT GASES RISE UP THE VERTICAL CHANNELS

AND FLOW HORIZONTALLY THROUGH THE HOLES.

WHEN THEY GET TO THE TOP, THEY MEET UP

WITH A HORIZONTAL CHANNEL CONNECTED TO THE CHIMNEY FLUE.

THE DRAFT FROM THE CHIMNEY DRAWS THE HOT GASES

AND KEEPS THE CIRCULATION GOING

SO THAT A CONTINUOUS STREAM OF HEATED AIR CYCLES THROUGH.

IBRAHIM AKYAR IS BUILDING THE HORIZONTAL CHANNEL.

FIRST, HE CUTS THE HOLE IN THE CHIMNEY.

THEN HE CAREFULLY MATCHES THE OPENINGS.

THE TUBULI ARE BONDED TO THE WALL BY MORTAR.

IT'S SIMILAR TO CONCRETE, BUT WITHOUT THE COARSE INGREDIENTS.

TONS OF MORTAR HAVE BEEN USED IN THIS SMALL BATH

AND GIVING IT ALL TIME TO DRY WILL BECOME A SERIOUS PROBLEM.

THE ROMANS WOULD HAVE ALLOWED WEEKS, EVEN MONTHS

FOR THE BUILDING TO DRY

BUT TEOMAN HAS ONLY TEN DAYS TO COMPLETE CONSTRUCTION

AND THREE DAYS TO HEAT UP THE BUILDING.

SUCH A TIGHT SCHEDULE COULD BE A RECIPE FOR DISASTER

Rook: IF YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF MOISTURE IN A STRUCTURE

AND YOU DRY IT FAST, IT SHRINKS.

NOW, IF IT DRIES SLOWLY, THE SHRINKAGE IS SORT OF SPREAD OUT

OVER THE WHOLE THING, AND IT SORT OF RELAXES.

BUT IF YOU DRY IT FAST

THEN THE SHRINKAGE IS LIABLE TO BE CONCENTRATED IN PLACES

SO IT WILL CRACK FOR THAT REASON, AND THE OTHER THING IS

IF YOU HEAT IT, IT EXPANDS.

SO YOU'VE GOT THESE TWO EFFECTS GOING ON.

YOU COULD HAVE... SOMEWHERE IN THE STRUCTURE

YOU CAN HAVE ONE BIT OF IT GETTING VERY HOT

AND ONE BIT OF IT DRYING, AND IT'S GOING TO PULL ITSELF APART.

Keach: TEOMAN IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM

BUT THERE'S STILL SO MUCH TO DO.

THE HYPOCAUST FLOORS NEED A LAYER OF CONCRETE.

FOUR TO FIVE INCHES THICK, IT WILL TAKE SEVERAL DAYS TO DRY.

ONLY TEOMAN WILL WAIT IT OUT.

EVERYONE ELSE HAS JOBS AND THINGS TO DO BACK HOME.

THEY'LL RETURN IN TEN DAYS TO LIGHT THE FURNACE.

AS PLASTERING BEGINS ON THE CEILING

THEIR PROBLEMS ARE ABOUT TO MULTIPLY.

RAIN NOT ONLY SLOWS DOWN TEOMAN'S SCHEDULE;

IT ALSO SOAKS AN ALREADY WET BUILDING.

EVEN THE STRAY PUPPY THAT ADOPTED THE BATH AS HER NEW HOME

GETS DRENCHED.

OF ALL THE ENGINEERING ACHIEVEMENTS

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE, ONE STANDS ABOVE ALL OTHERS.

WITHOUT IT, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO BATHS.

WITHOUT IT, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO ROME.

THE ROMAN AQUEDUCT, THE SINGLE GREATEST SYSTEM

FOR THE TRANSPORT OF WATER KNOWN TO THE WORLD UNTIL THIS CENTURY.

EVEN TODAY, THE WATER OF ROME'S TREVI FOUNTAIN COMES

FROM AN ANCIENT AQUEDUCT.

Man: ROMANS WOULD NOT TAKE "NO"

FOR AN ANSWER.

JUST LIKE THEY'D CONQUERED OTHER PEOPLE

THEY WOULD CONQUER NATURE WITH THEIR ENGINEERING.

IN THE END, FOR THEIR CITY OF A MILLION PEOPLE

THEY HAD 11 AQUEDUCTS, 11 CHANNELS OF OVER 300 MILES

DELIVERING PERHAPS 150 TO 200 GALLONS PER PERSON PER DAY

AN AMAZING AMOUNT FOR THE ANCIENT WORLD.

Keach: THE SOURCE OF ROME'S WATER LAY 50 MILES OUTSIDE THE CITY

IN THE FOOTHILLS OF THE APENNINES

WHERE THE ANIO RIVER FLOWS.

BUT THE BEST DRINKING WATER IN ALL OF ROME CAME

FROM NEARBY MOUNTAIN SPRINGS.

THIS IS WHERE THE AQUA CLAUDIA AQUEDUCT WAS BUILT

STARTING IN 38 A.D.

BUT THERE'S NOTHING TO SEE, BECAUSE IT'S ALL UNDERGROUND.

THE AQUA CLAUDIA BEGAN WITH A LARGE, DEEP BASIN

THAT COLLECTED COLD SPRING WATER.

AN UNDERGROUND AQUEDUCT DIRECTED IT TOWARD ROME

FOLLOWING THE CONTOURS OF THE LAND

SOMETIMES BORING DEEP UNDER THE MOUNTAINS.

THERE WERE NO PUMPS TO MOVE THE WATER ALONG.

THE SYSTEM WORKED SOLELY ON GRAVITY...

A SMALL, GENTLE SLOPE FOR ABOUT 50 MILES.

MUCH OF THE AQUA CLAUDIA IS STILL THERE

BURIED BENEATH THE SURFACE.

PETER AICHER IS ABOUT TO SHOW GARRETT FAGAN

SOMETHING FEW PEOPLE HAVE EVER SEEN.

BOY, YOU CAN FEEL THAT COOL AIR COMING OUT.

Keach: THE FRONT FACE OF THIS MOUNTAIN CLIFF HAS BROKEN OFF

REVEALING THE AQUA CLAUDIA TUNNEL HIDDEN INSIDE.

THERE'S A GOOD CHANNEL TO FOLLOW.

SURE... LET'S GO.

WATCH THE COBWEBS, THE BATS.

YOU CAN... RIGHT HERE

I THINK YOU CAN SENSE THE INCLINE.

OH, YEAH.

Keach: THEY'RE WALKING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION THE WATER FLOWED.

AS THEY MOVE DEEPER INTO THE CHANNEL

THEY FIND, ALONG THE WALL

REMNANTS OF ROMAN WATERPROOF CONCRETE.

AND YOU CAN ALSO SEE...

Keach: THEY ALSO FIND A BUILDUP OF HARD-WATER MINERAL DEPOSITS.

Aicher: ONLY CEMENTED UP HERE MAYBE FOUR FEET HIGH

AND THIS IS ABOUT SIX FEET HIGH.

THIS CHANNEL WAS NOT MEANT TO RUN FULL...

YEAH.

BE EXPOSED TO THE AIR

WHICH WAS BETTER FOR THE WATER.

Aicher: THIS EVENTUALLY WOULD ENCRUST THE WHOLE CHANNEL.

SOME WERE WORSE THAN THIS.

AND THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE REGULAR MAINTENANCE TASKS

IS TO COME THROUGH AND CHOP THIS AWAY

AND THEN PERHAPS TO RECOAT IT AGAIN WITH THE CEMENT.

Keach: THERE WAS A SURPRISING BENEFIT TO THESE MINERAL DEPOSITS.

Aicher: BECAUSE THIS IS HARD WATER

IS THAT THEY USED A LOT OF LEAD PIPES.

Keach: THEY WOULD COAT THE LEAD PIPES USED THROUGHOUT THE CITY

PREVENTING LEAD POISONS FROM LEACHING INTO THE WATER SUPPLY.

I SEE.

SO THEY HAD A USEFUL FUNCTION, AS WELL.

Keach: THE AQUA CLAUDIA TUNNELS UNDERGROUND

FOR MORE THAN 40 MILES

BUT EVENTUALLY, MOUNTAINS COME TO AN END.

THAT'S WHEN AQUEDUCTS EMERGE

IN A SPECTACULAR DISPLAY OF ROMAN ENGINEERING...

GRACEFUL ARCADES OF ARCHES 60 FEET HIGH

CARRYING WATER IN CHANNELS ALONG THE TOP.

THIS BRIDGE CARRIED TWO AQUEDUCTS

THE AQUA CLAUDIA ON THE BOTTOM, AND THE MOSTLY MISSING CHANNEL

OF THE ANIO NOVIS AQUEDUCT ON TOP.

AT PORTA MAGGIORE, ONE OF THE HIGHEST SPOTS IN THE CITY

THE AQUA CLAUDIA, ALONG WITH SEVEN OTHER AQUEDUCTS

FINALLY REACHES ROME.

AT THIS POINT, THE SYSTEM SWITCHED

TO CLOSED, PRESSURIZED PIPES

WHICH DELIVERED THE WATER ALL OVER TOWN.

Aicher: IT CAN GO TO ALL QUARTERS OF THE CITY, AND BACK UP INTO FOUNTAINS

FOR THE HOMES, THE BATHS, THE INDUSTRIES

AND CLEANING THE DRAINS, AND IN GENERAL PROVIDING WATER

FOR THIS WHOLE CITY OF A MILLION

THAT ONCE THE SYSTEM FELL INTO RUIN

WAS NOT EQUALED AGAIN INTO THE 1800S.

WOW!

Keach: AQUEDUCTS WERE BUILT THROUGHOUT THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

ALMOST 2,000 YEARS AGO

AN AQUEDUCT SLOPED DOWN THE TMOLOS MOUNTAINS

TO SUPPLY THE BATH AT SARDIS.

IT USED THOUSANDS OF GALLONS OF WATER EVERY DAY

BUT IT NEVER WENT TO WASTE.

AFTER THE WATER WAS DRAINED FROM THE BATHS

IT WAS CHANNELED THROUGH THIS MULTI-SEAT LATRINE

AS A FLUSHING SYSTEM.

WITH SEATS LINING ALL THE WALLS

THIS LATRINE ACCOMMODATED TWO DOZEN PEOPLE.

IT OFFERS A REVEALING LOOK AT ROMAN CULTURE

WHERE PERSONAL HABITS WERE SURPRISINGLY PUBLIC.

IF YOU LOOK AT ME

I'M SITTING REALLY VERY CLOSE TO MY NEIGHBORS.

IF THIS IS A BUSY TIME, THEN I'M SORT OF SITTING HERE.

AND WOULD I HAVE WOMEN BESIDE ME, PERHAPS?

AND I THINK THE ANSWER IS YES.

AND SOME CONSIDERATION OF ROMAN CLOTHING, PERHAPS

HELPS TO PRESERVE THE MODESTY OF THE INDIVIDUAL TOILET USERS

BECAUSE THEY WOULD JUST SIMPLY SORT OF PULL UP

THEIR TOGAS AND TUNICS, THEN THEY COULD SIT HERE

AND EVERYTHING WASN'T HANGING OUT.

BUT THAT DOESN'T ACCOUNT FOR NOISES, ODORS

WHICH YOU WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY HEAR

WHICH WOULD BE REMARKABLE, TO THE MODERN WESTERN TOILET USER

TO THINK OF THAT POSSIBILITY.

Keach: WITH THE RAIN, THE MARBLING INSIDE THE BATHHOUSE

IS GOING VERY SLOWLY.

AS THEY PUT MORTAR ON ONE SIDE OF THE FRIGIDARIUM WALL

THE MARBLE ON THE OTHER SIDE BUCKLES.

THE MORTAR IS SO WET, IT SETTLED TO THE BOTTOM

AND PUSHED THE MARBLE OUT.

SECTIONS OF THIS WALL WILL HAVE TO BE REDONE.

FOR TEOMAN, THIS IS THE LAST STRAW.

EVEN THOUGH THE SKY IS BEGINNING TO CLEAR

HE'S WORRIED THE BUILDING WON'T DRY OR HEAT UP PROPERLY.

HE NEEDS SOME ADVICE.

BUT WITHOUT MAX OR TONY AT HAND

TEOMAN DRIVES DOWN TO THE VILLAGE FOR HELP.

THERE'S NO HEATING ENGINEER HERE, BUT THERE IS A BAKER...

WHO FIRES HIS OVEN EVERY DAY...

HE AGREES TO COME UP TO THE SITE.

IN THE MEANTIME, THE WOOD FUEL THAT TEOMAN ORDERED HAS ARRIVED

AT LEAST A WEEK'S WORTH OF IT.

Yalcinkaya: I WAS A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT THE FIRING OF THE FURNACE.

AND SAID THAT WE WANT TO FIRE IT IN THREE DAYS, BUT HE OBJECTED.

HE SAID WE WILL HAVE CRACKS

YOU KNOW, IF WE FIRE IT IN THREE DAYS.

BUT IF WE LET IT LAID OVER EIGHT DAYS INSTEAD OF THREE DAYS

THEN THERE WILL BE A SLOWER...

I MEAN, LESS HEAT, SLOW HEAT, BUT A PERMANENT HEAT.

Keach: THE WHOLE TEAM WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO LIGHTING THE FIRE.

BUT TEOMAN HAS MADE A RISKY DECISION: TO LIGHT IT EARLY

IN THE HOPES OF DRYING THE BUILDING.

IT'S A TENSE TIME.

WILL THE FURNACE DRAW PROPERLY?

WILL THE CHIMNEYS VENT?

WILL THE ROOMS HEAT UP?

AND MOST IMPORTANT, WILL THE BUILDING CRACK?

AFTER A HALF HOUR, THINGS AREN'T LOOKING SO GOOD.

MOST OF THE HEAT IS HEADING THE WRONG DIRECTION...

OUT OF THE FURNACE.

THE BAKER WILL PUSH THE FIRE DEEP UNDER THE CALDARIUM

CLOSER TO THE CHIMNEYS.

AND A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER, IT'S A SIGHT TO BEHOLD.

NOT ONLY IS SMOKE POURING OUT OF THE CHIMNEY, BUT INSIDE

IT'S EVEN SEEPING OUT OF THE UNFINISHED PARTS OF THE DOORWAY

BETWEEN THE SEAMS OF THE TUBULI.

YOU SEE, THE SMOKE IS COMING BETWEEN THE SEAMS OF THE TUBULI.

I MEAN, THAT MEANS... THAT SHOWS THAT IT'S FUNCTIONING.

YOU SEE, IT'S WARM.

IT'S WARM AND IT'S GOING TO GIVE ITS...

EVEN THE PLASTER IS WARMING UP SLOWLY.

IT'S GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT.

IT WILL BE HOT.

Keach: FOUR MORE NIGHTS AND THE OTHERS WILL ARRIVE TO SEE IT.

CONGRATULATIONS, TEOMAN, IT'S SMOKING!

IT IS SMOKING, YOU SEE?

IT'S SMOKING.

SO YOU CAN SEE

FROM OVER HERE.

REAL SMOKE, NOT A CARD TRICK?

NO, IT'S REAL SMOKE.

IT'S REAL SMOKE.

Fordham: WE'VE GOT A SMOKE BOMB.

Yegul: WHICH ONES ARE PULLING?

ALL OF THEM.

ALL OF THEM?

YES, ALL OF THEM.

Fordham: GUARANTEED?

GUARANTEED, YES.

WELL, I CAN GIVE A WARRANTY PAPER FOR THAT.

ACTUALLY, IT'S NOT SURPRISING AT ALL, IS IT?

IT'S JUST GOOD DESIGN.

Keach: FIKRET COULDN'T RESIST A LITTLE JAB

AT THOSE WHO HAD DOUBTED HIS DESIGN.

Yalcinkaya: BETTER WE CAN GO AROUND HERE.

Keach: INSIDE, THEY START FEELING THE WALLS

TO SEE IF THE TUBULI ARE HEATING UP EVENLY.

THE FLUE SOMEWHERE AROUND HERE, YOU SEE.

Couch: YOU CAN REALLY FEEL IT HERE

YES.

Keach: BUT MAX HAS BROUGHT SOME EQUIPMENT

THAT CAN SEE RIGHT THROUGH THE WALLS...

AN INFRARED CAMERA THAT SHOWS HEAT RANGES BY COLOR.

WHITE IS OFF THE CHARTS, RED IS ABOUT 250 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT

THEN THE TEMPERATURE DESCENDS FROM YELLOW, TO GREEN, TO BLUE AND SO ON.

THE BLACK AREAS ARE WHERE THE TUBULI STOP.

Fordham: HOTTER THAN THE FLUES.

Keach: IT'S TELLING EVERYONE WHERE THE GASES ARE FLOWING INSIDE.

Fordham: WELL, I THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL

THIS CHIMNEY, LOOK, GOING UP THERE.

Yegul: THE CHIMNEY REALLY LOOKS EXTREMELY CLEAR, DOESN'T IT?

DOESN'T IT?

IT'S LIKE A SHARP PEAK.

THAT IS CONSISTENTLY THE HOTTEST CHIMNEY

WITH THE MOST GAS FLOW IN IT.

Keach: WITH THE CONSTRUCTION ALMOST DONE

AND THE BUILDING HEATING UP

IT'S TIME FOR THE FINAL ACT...

HEATING UP THE BATH WATER.

NO ONE KNOWS WHAT THE TEMPERATURE OF THE WATER ACTUALLY WAS

BUT THERE ARE HINTS... ANCIENT STORIES OF WATER SO HOT

THAT HEAVY DRINKERS WOULD HAVE TO BE CARRIED OUT UNCONSCIOUS.

THE SYSTEM THEY USED TO HEAT THE WATER

WAS SURPRISINGLY SIMILAR TO OURS TODAY... A HOT WATER BOILER.

MODELED AFTER A BOILER

FOUND IN THE RUINS OF A ROMAN BATH IN ALGERIA

THIS ONE WILL BE INSTALLED IN THE MORNING.

A SIMPLE TASK THAT WILL STIR UP SOME SIMMERING TENSIONS.

WE THINK THE HOT WATER SHOULD COME OUT OF THAT ONE.

IS THAT THE HOT WATER?

Keach: AS THE DAY BEGINS, TONY AND BRYAN SUGGEST A CHANGE

IN THE PLUMBING CONNECTIONS TO THE BOILER.

THE HOT WATER WITH THE COLD TO THAT ONE

ALL THAT HOT WATER STAYS IN IT...

YOU CAN'T GET THAT OUT.

IF YOU TAKE IT OUT OF THAT ONE

YOU'LL GET THE EXTRA BIT.

YES, BUT, UH, THAT WILL BE SUFFICIENT FOR OUR PURPOSE.

WE DON'T THINK IT WILL.

WELL, IF...

WHY DON'T YOU THINK IT WILL NOT BE?

WELL, BECAUSE WE'VE CALCULATED...

Keach: THE TANK IS DESIGNED TO HAVE THE HOT WATER COME OUT

OF ONE OF THESE SIDE CONNECTIONS.

BUT TONY AND BRYAN BELIEVE THAT IF IT CAME OUT THE TOP

THE BOILER WOULD BE MORE EFFICIENT.

THEY MIGHT BE RIGHT

BUT IT IS, PERHAPS, ONE CRITICISM TOO MANY...

THE ATMOSPHERE BECOMES CHARGED.

WHY SHOULD WE TAKE THE RISK, YOU KNOW?

DON'T YOU SEE THE ADVANTAGE THAT IF WE'RE RIGHT

THEN IT WILL WORK

AND WE'RE NOT LOSING ANYTHING.

THIS PART MIGHT HAVE BEEN QUITE SUFFICIENT, TOO.

I DON'T THINK IT WILL.

HOW CAN YOU BE SO SURE?

THE TROUBLE IS, WE ALSO CALCULATE

THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE A WHOLE DAY TO HEAT THIS UP.

NO, WE'RE JUST...

WELL, WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS THING BEFORE

IF YOU KNOW ABOUT THE HEATING SYSTEM.

YOU SAID YOU HAD THE SAME RESERVATIONS

AND THE DIRE PREDICTIONS, AND IT'S WORKING LIKE A CHARM.

IT ISN'T WORKING YET

BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T YET GOT IT WORKING.

WE HAVEN'T PUT THE BOILER ON IT YET.

WE HAVEN'T GOT IT TO 50 CENTIGRADE YET.

WHO SAYS WE HAVE TO GET TO 50 CENTIGRADE?

DO YOU KNOW ROMAN BATHS HEATED TO 50 CENTIGRADE?

WHERE DO YOU TAKE THAT NUMBER, OUT OF YOUR HAT?

NO, I TAKE THAT NUMBER OUT OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY

OF HEATING AND REFRIGERATION AND AIR CONDITIONING ENGINEERS.

AND HOW DOES THAT RELATE?

OH, WELL, BECAUSE THAT IS QUITE WELL RESEARCHED.

Keach: MAX, THE ENGINEER, WANTS TO TEST THE HEATING SYSTEM

TO ITS ENGINEERING LIMIT.

FIKRET, THE HISTORIAN, WANTS ONLY TO HEAT IT

TO THE LIMIT OF A TURKISH BATH.

IT BECOMES A CLASH OF PROFESSIONAL DISCIPLINES.

Fordham: BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE TEMPERATURE IS.

Yegul: TURKISH BATHS ARE ALL AROUND, AND FUNCTIONING, TODAY...

YOU'VE BEEN IN ONE!

AT A SLIGHTLY LOWER TEMPERATURE, I KNOW.

I HAVE DONE RESEARCH ABOUT TURKISH BATHS...

IT HAS BEEN PUBLISHED.

OKAY! BUT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE...

50 IS OUT OF THE QUESTION, PERIOD.

Rook: I THINK IT'S HIGH.

BUT THERE WERE NOT PREDICTIONS MADE.

Yegul: 50 IS OUT OF THE QUESTION.

YOU ARE TALKING OUT OF YOUR HAT.

YOU HAVE NO GROUND TO STAND ON

AND THIS BATH HEATING SYSTEM...

I DO HAVE GROUND TO STAND ON BECAUSE...

Keach: THE ARGUMENT GOES ON UNTIL THEY REACH A COMPROMISE...

THE BATH WILL ONLY BE HEATED TO 40 DEGREES CENTIGRADE

BUT THE CHANGES WILL BE MADE TO THE BOILER.

AND THEN WE GET THE THING GOING...

Keach: THE HOT WATER CONNECTIONS ARE QUICKLY RECONFIGURED.

THE BOILER IS MOVED INTO PLACE AND ATTACHED.

MAX RETURNS TO HIS TESTING AND MEASURING.

THIS TIME HE'S CHECKING THE DEPTH OF THE RESERVOIR

WHERE WATER FOR THE BATH IS STORED.

OF COURSE, THERE'S NO AQUEDUCT TO FILL IT

SO THEY'LL PUMP WATER IN FROM A TANK.

TO PUT EVERYONE IN THE RIGHT FRAME OF MIND

TONY ROOK AND BRYAN DON THEIR TUNICS

AND TAKE OVER THE OPERATION OF THE FURNACE.

Rook: WHAT WE'VE GOT TO DO IS GET THE FIRE UNDER THE BOILER.

Keach: WITH THE BUILDING HEATED

THEY CAN PULL THE FIRE BACK FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE CALDARIUM

TO WHERE IT BELONGS... UNDER THE BOILER.

BECAUSE WHAT WE WANT NOW

IS TO GET THE FIRE UNDER THE BOILER

SO THAT THE BOILER WILL, QUITE LITERALLY, BOIL.

WE'VE GOT TO HAVE ENOUGH BOILING WATER IN THERE...

Keach: IT WILL TAKE ALL DAY FOR THE WATER TO HEAT UP.

IN THE MEANTIME, A FEW FINISHING TOUCHES ARE LEFT INSIDE:

A MARBLE MOSAIC FOR THE FLOOR AND A FRESCO FOR THE WALL...

COPIED FROM A ROMAN HOUSE IN EPHESUS, TURKEY.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, TONY AND BRYAN TURN ON THE WATER.

IT TAKES SEVERAL HOURS TO FILL THE POOL.

TOMORROW IS BATH TIME.

THE TEAM HAS WAITED SEVEN WEEKS AND A LIFETIME

FOR THIS EXPERIENCE.

BUT WHILE EVERYONE SLEEPS, SOMETHING GOES TERRIBLY WRONG.

WE'VE GOT PROBLEMS

WELL, WHAT HAVE WE GOT HERE TEOMAN?

WE HAVE LEAKAGE HERE, FROM THE POOL.

Keach: TEOMAN BELIEVES THE PROBLEM STEMS

FROM HEATING THE BATH EARLY

BEFORE THE MARBLE WALLS WERE COMPLETELY DRY.

THE MORTAR AT THE JOINTS DIDN'T HAVE THE PROPER SETTING TIME

AND IT CRACKED.

Yalcinkaya: YES... SO, I MEAN, IT'S LEAKING CONTINUOUSLY.

WHATEVER YOU PUT INSIDE, IT'S LEAKING.

WE'VE LOST THE CONTENTS OF THE WHOLE BATH.

YES.

Keach: THERE IS A QUICK SOLUTION... SILICON SEALANT.

IT'S NOT ROMAN, BUT TIME HAS RUN OUT

AND EVERYONE IS ANXIOUS TO TAKE THEIR BATH.

WASN'T TODAY THE DAY OF THE GREAT HOT BATH?

Yalcinkaya: YEAH, WELL...

AND I SOUND AS THOUGH I NEED IT.

YOU WILL PROBABLY HAVE A BATH.

BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT

I'LL TAKE YOU TO A TURKISH BATH.

AH, THAT'LL DO.

Keach: WITH SOME LINGERING DOUBTS

EVERYONE GATHERS FOR A FINAL LUNCH...

A VERY LENGTHY LUNCH WHILE THE POOL SLOWLY FILLS.

FEW PEOPLE HAVE WAITED SO LONG TO TAKE A BATH.

BY LATE AFTERNOON, THEY HAVE A DATE WITH HISTORY.

Keach: REAL ROMANS WOULD BE BATHING NAKED

BUT, REAL ROMANS WOULDN'T BE BATHING ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.

FOR THESE MEN, A WELL-PLACED TOWEL CAN PROTECT THEIR MODESTY.

THE WATER IS ABOUT 100 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

THE ROOM IS EVEN HOTTER.

Fagan: TO STEP IN A BATH HOUSE WAS TO STEP IN TO THE ARMS OF PLEASURE.

TO EXPERIENCE THE RELAXING EFFECTS OF THE WARM WATER AND THE WARM AIR

TO SOCIALIZE WITH FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS...

AN ALTOGETHER A JOYFUL EXPERIENCE.

Keach: AS THEY FILE OUT OF THE HOT BATH

GARRETT IS REMINDED WHERE THE HEAT IS COMING FROM.

WATCH THE FLOOR!

Keach: LIKE GOOD ROMANS, THEY HEAD FOR THE COLD ROOM.

THE FRIGIDARIUM POOL HAS LEAKED AS WELL.

IT MAKES THE ACT OF SUBMERGING A BIT UNDIGNIFIED.

BUT IT'S A REQUIRED PART OF THE FULL EXPERIMENT.

Yegul: THIS THE ONLY SCIENTIFIC EXPERIENCE

THAT I KNOW IN THE WORLD WHICH HAS RECREATED

A MODEL ROMAN BATH, TRUTHFULLY

USING ANCIENT MATERIALS AND ANCIENT METHODS... AS MUCH AS WE COULD.

AND I WOULD DEARLY LOVE THIS MONUMENT TO BE PRESERVED

AND TO BE KNOWN IN THE SCIENTIFIC AND HUMANISTIC WORLD.

Keach: TODAY, THE LITTLE BATH STILL STANDS

IN AN OLIVE GROVE IN SART, TURKEY.

TEOMAN STILL LIVES AND WORKS NEARBY;

IT WILL BE SAFE IN HIS HANDS.

Yalcinkaya: WE'LL COME AND CHECK

WHAT'S GOING ON WITH HERE.

AND IT MIGHT TURN OUT TO BE A PLACE

FOR ACADEMIC PEOPLE AND THE TOURISTS TO VISIT.

SO, THERE WILL BE SOMETHING NICE COMING OUT OF IT AT THE END, IT LOOKS LIKE.

NEXT WEEK ON SEEKERS OF LOST EMPIRES

STEEPED IN LEGEND, LOST TO TIME

A MARVEL OF DESIGN AND CRAFTSMANSHIP.

WHAT SECRETS CAN THE STRUCTURE REVEAL

ABOUT ITS ANCIENT BUILDERS?

SPEND A DAY AT THE ROMAN BATHS

SEE WHAT'S ON THE MENU.

ENJOY THE ENTERTAINMENT.

IMMERSE YOURSELF IN NOVA'S WEB SITE.

TO ORDER THE SECRETS OF LOST EMPIRES FIVE-VIDEO SET

WITH A FREE FAMILY ACTIVITY BOOK

PLEASE CALL WGBH BOSTON VIDEO AT 1-800-255-9424.

THE FAMILY ACTIVITY BOOK IS ALSO AVAILABLE SEPARATELY

FOR SHIPPING AND HANDLING ONLY.

THEY TELL INTRIGUING STORY...

I BELIEVE THAT I'M A BLACK JEW.

BUT CAN CUTTING-EDGE GENETICS TRACE THE LEMBA

TO "THE LOST TRIBES OF ISRAEL? NEXT ON NOVA.

NOVA IS A PRODUCTION OF WGBH BOSTON.