The Engineering Approach to the Study of Roman Thermal Buildings: The Case Study of the Rotonda Roman Baths at Catania

Roman architecture is one of the most advanced forms of histori- cal architectures because of the several innovations that have contributed to the progress of the art of construction. The ability of the Romans consisted in creating monumental architectures by experimenting with innovative ma- terials and construction techniques, and combining traditional building ele- ments in an effective way, thus achieving formal and technological solu- tions of great relevance. Therefore, research activities on Roman buildings are essential for the reconstruction of their historical development, and for their protection, conservation and promotion, with the aim to preserve the cultural memory of the ancient cities. In this framework, this paper reports the preliminary results of an ongoing research activity on the Roman ther- mal complex “Terme della Rotonda” in the city of Catania. This activity aims at achieving a three-dimensional digital model of the thermal complex and characterizing it at architectural and construction level to provide in- formation on the mutual connections between the architectural solutions and the adopted materials and construction techniques. The study here re- ported is part of the interdisciplinary research project SAMOTHRACE that aims at bridging the knowledge gap on the dating and diachronic develop- ment of the thermal complex.