define thermae
In ancient Rome, thermae (from Greek Î¸ÎµÏÎ¼ÏÏ thermos, hot) and balneae (from Greek Î²Î±Î»Î±Î½Îµá¿Î¿Î½ balaneion) were facilities for bathing. Thermae usually refers to the large imperial bath complexes, while balneae were smaller-scale facilities, public or private, that existed in great numbers throughout Rome. Most Roman cities had at least one, if not many, such buildings, which were centres not only for bathing, but socializing.