Bathhouses were indispensable venues for Ephesians, not only for cleansing but also for socializing and relaxation. During the Roman period, bathhouses were one of the most essential parts of daily life and were open from morning to evening. Ephesus had several monumental bath complexes, such as the Great Baths (Harbor Baths), the Scholastica Baths, and the Varius Baths. These baths included hot, warm, and cold sections (caldarium, tepidarium, frigidarium) along with dressing rooms and gymnasium areas for exercise. Women and men used the baths at different times of the day: Within the first seven hours after sunrise, the baths were open free of charge for women and children, while later in the day, men could use the baths for a small fee. This practice was part of the regulations introduced across the empire by the Roman Emperor Caracalla, creating a bath culture that respected social class and gender balance.

During bath visits, one did not only bathe but also engaged in entertainment and conversation. Ephesus baths featured bath attendants who provided massages, small groups that organized musical performances, or storytellers. After cleansing in hot water pools and cooling down in cold pools, Ephesians enjoyed conversing with friends in the bath's garden over fruit and wine. The remnants of an ancient toilet found at the Scholastica Bath reveal an intriguing social custom of the era: These public toilets, made up of side-by-side marble seats, served as meeting points where people continued to converse even while attending to personal needs. As Ephesus had an advanced sewage infrastructure, these toilets were kept clean with continuously running water and waste was carried out of the city, thus maintaining hygiene standards at a very high level by ancient standards.

Another social aspect of the baths was their hosting of parties and festivities. On festive days, in particular, music-filled, dance-enriched celebrations were held in the large halls of the baths, with banquets sponsored by wealthy patrons. For example, before the traditional Artemis festival, the populace gathered at the baths to purify themselves; after washing and applying pleasant scents, they would flock to the city's sacred areas. With all these aspects, the bath culture in Ephesus had become central both for bodily cleanliness and social interaction.

Bathhouses were indispensable venues for Ephesians, not only for cleansing but also for socializing and relaxation. During the Roman period, bathhouses were one of the most essential parts of daily life and were open from morning to evening. Ephesus had several monumental bath complexes, such as the Great Baths (Harbor Baths), the Scholastica Baths, and the Varius Baths. These baths included hot, warm, and cold sections (caldarium, tepidarium, frigidarium) along with dressing rooms and gymnasium areas for exercise. Women and men used the baths at different times of the day: Within the first seven hours after sunrise, the baths were open free of charge for women and children, while later in the day, men could use the baths for a small fee. This practice was part of the regulations introduced across the empire by the Roman Emperor Caracalla, creating a bath culture that respected social class and gender balance.

During bath visits, one did not only bathe but also engaged in entertainment and conversation. Ephesus baths featured bath attendants who provided massages, small groups that organized musical performances, or storytellers. After cleansing in hot water pools and cooling down in cold pools, Ephesians enjoyed conversing with friends in the bath's garden over fruit and wine. The remnants of an ancient toilet found at the Scholastica Bath reveal an intriguing social custom of the era: These public toilets, made up of side-by-side marble seats, served as meeting points where people continued to converse even while attending to personal needs. As Ephesus had an advanced sewage infrastructure, these toilets were kept clean with continuously running water and waste was carried out of the city, thus maintaining hygiene standards at a very high level by ancient standards.

Another social aspect of the baths was their hosting of parties and festivities. On festive days, in particular, music-filled, dance-enriched celebrations were held in the large halls of the baths, with banquets sponsored by wealthy patrons. For example, before the traditional Artemis festival, the populace gathered at the baths to purify themselves; after washing and applying pleasant scents, they would flock to the city's sacred areas. With all these aspects, the bath culture in Ephesus had become central both for bodily cleanliness and social interaction.