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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The ancient thermal baths of Lyon, known by archaeological excavations, have several Roman thermal establishments. The most important, located rue des Farges on the hill of Fourvière, dates from the end of the first century and was abandoned in the late second or early third century. This ancient neighborhood, organized in terraces, also included houses, warehouses and a late necropolis. The excavations revealed only a part of the thermal baths, the rest being covered by the high school Jean-Moulin.

The presence of thermal baths in Lugdunum is attested by two inscriptions: one mentioning the thermal baths of Ullatius (quai Pierre-Scize), the other evoking the baths of Apollo (the funeral chapel of Pömpeius Catussa). These remains, like those of Adolphe-Max Avenue (late 4th–early 5th century), reveal typical Roman techniques: hypocaustes, marble basins and characteristic decorations.

The thermal baths of the Antiquaille, discovered in 1827, were small, perhaps private. The 2011-2012 excavations identified a heated room, a basin and a sewer connection. Two other public baths, those of Ullatius and Apollo, are known by epigraphy, although they may correspond to the thermal baths of the rue des Farges, where three altars dedicated to Apollo were found.

The thermal baths of Adolphe-Max Avenue, which were excavated from 1983, date from the end of the fourth or early fifth century. This late complex included a palester, a partially covered swimming pool, hypocaust rooms and fragments of typical decors. These remains illustrate the evolution of thermal practices in Lyon during late antiquity.

Archaeological discoveries, such as those of the thermal baths on Rue des Farges (1974–1980), have partially restored daily life in Lugdunum. These establishments, linked to social and hygienic activities, reflect Roman urbanization and the importance of the city as the capital of Gauls.

Despite their fragmentary state, these thermal baths offer precious light on Roman architecture and usages. Their protection, like that of rooms classified in 1975, underscores their heritage value. Epigraphic and archaeological sources remain essential to understand their role in the ancient Lugdunum.

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