Understanding the Roman Baths at Fiesole: From 3D Documentation to Geometrical and Functional Analysis

This work describes the multidisciplinary approach of the first phase of study carried out on the Roman baths at Fiesole, which resulted from the need to document the structures after the latest maintenance intervention coordinated by the Soprintendenza ABAP of Florence. The Fiesole baths are strategically located next to the theater and temple and constitute one of the most important examples of balnea in northern Etruria, revealing important architectural developments in this particular architectonic form. The acquisition of digital data, integrating a survey with total station (TS) and a laser scanning system (TLS), focused on the area of the calidarium in order better to understand the system of the thermal complex. Since there is no recognizable stratigraphy or historical-archaeological evidence that can be relied on with certainty, the digital model is fundamental for the understanding of the complex archaeological heritage of the site, which is formed by a synthesis of engineering and architecture. The accuracy of the point cloud has allowed a precise reading of the spatial relationship of the single rooms as well as the geometric order that underlies the general architectural design.