Roman Thermae of Maximinus

The Roman Thermae of Maximinos, are the archaeological ruins of a monumental building and public baths, whose construction was integrated into the urban renewal of the civitas of Bracara Augusta, the Roman provincial capital of Gallaecia. The large public/civic construction consisted of a building, housing the baths, and a theatre, although the archaeological excavations continue.HistoryFrom excavations completed in the region, the thermae complex was constructed in the second half of the 1st century BCE and persisted in some form until the end of the 3rd century. Around the 2nd century, a theatre was constructed. At the end of the 3rd century, the complex was profoundly remodelled, resulting in the substantial reduction in the total area occupied by the thermae; the remodelling of the urban structure was part of the ongoing redesign of Bracara Augusta, into the provincial capital of Gallaecia by Diocletian. This meant that by the 4th century even the theatre was deactivated, and the stones used to construct the city walls. In fact, the remnants encountered confirm the existence of three periods of construction, starting with the first, which corresponds to the pre-thermae period of Julius Caesar and Claudius. The second cycle occurred during the reigns of Flavius and Anthony, represented by the presence of the public baths, which used the pre-existing structure. Finally, the third phase was initially marked by the remodelling of the building, with its courtyard dramatically reduced.By the 5th century, the building and thermal baths were abandoned.In 1994, the municipal council of Braga solicited the president of the IPPAR for the help in financing the acquisition of the terrains necessary to construct an archaeological reserve for Colina de Maximinos.