ASAMINTHUS
ASAMINTHUS (
ἀσάμινθος,
σκαφή,
πύελος,
ἔμβασις,
μάκτρα), a
bath-tub, in which the bather sat, while hot water was poured over his head
and shoulders (cf.
Od. 10.361). This was
the usual mode of bathing in Homeric times; in later times, however, when
regular baths were introduced, other methods seem to have been preferred. So
Suidas says, speaking of the
ἀσάμινθος:
σκαφή ἐν ᾗ οἱ ἀρχαῖοι ἐλούοντο, οὐκ
ᾔδεσαν γὰρ βαλανεῖα (cf. Suid. s. v.); and no
representation of a tub, in which bathers could sit, appears on any of the
vases, which depict scenes from the baths. There is, however, no doubt that
baths of this kind still remained in use, as occasional references to them
occur in later writers (cf.
Aristoph. Kn.
1060; Poll. 7.166), and Eupolis (ap. Poll. 7.168) speaks of several
people bathing together in a bath of this kind. [
BALNEAE]
[
J.H.O]
