A large and elaborate thermal bath has been discovered among the ruins of ancient Pompeii and is believed to have been used by its owners to attract wealthy guests.

The baths were discovered during excavations of a house in Via di Nola in Regio IX, an affluent area of ​​the city that was later destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

The home spa is one of the few of its kind discovered so far in the Pompeii Archaeological Park in southern Italy.

The complex is connected to an elaborate banquet hall whose frescoes depict figures inspired by the Trojan War unearthed last year. Experts have concluded that the home, believed to have belonged to members of Pompeii's elite, was used as a stage for its owners. Confirming one's social status and perhaps even promoting electoral candidacy.

Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Pompeii Archaeological Park, said: "This is an example of how the Roman Domus served as a stage for artistic and cultural performances, with the owner staging performances to gain votes or to please guests. Good impression."

The spa can accommodate up to 30 people, who can move between three pools: Thermophilic (hot), Tepid (warm) and Cold (cold). Experts say the cold storage room, which has a patio with a porch, is particularly impressive.

It is believed that these baths provided guests with an opportunity to relax after sumptuous feasts. "Everything fits into a 'show,' and the centerpiece of the show is the owner himself," says Zuttrigel.

The ballroom was known as the "Dark Room" because of the color of its walls, which may have been an attempt to mask the soot from burning oil lamps. The walls are decorated with artwork of characters from Greek mythology, including the scene where Helen of Troy first meets the Trojan prince Paris.

The room also opens onto a courtyard, with a long staircase leading to the first floor of the hotel. On the arch of the staircase are charcoal drawings of two pairs of gladiators, which archaeologists say appear to be "a giant stylized phallus."

Excavations at Regio IX have yielded numerous other finds since they began in February 2023, including a house housing a cramped bakery where slaves are believed to have been imprisoned and forced to produce bread.