In the ancient Lycian city of Myra, nestled within modern-day Demre in Turkey’s Antalya province, archaeologists have unearthed an extraordinary thermal structure that challenges conventional understanding of Roman bathing architecture. The discovery, dating back to the 2nd century AD, reveals a sophisticated healing complex built directly atop active thermal springs, representing an architectural type previously unknown in the region. After waiting fifteen years for industrial buildings to be cleared from the site, excavation director Prof. Dr. Nevzat Çevik and his team have finally begun to unveil what may be one of the most significant Roman thermal discoveries in southern Turkey.

According to ArkeoNews, the structure was built during a flourishing period of Roman expansion when thermal baths served not merely as places for hygiene, but as centers of healing and social interaction. Unlike conventional Roman baths found across the empire, this complex was specifically designed to harness the therapeutic properties of naturally occurring mineral-rich springs.