Swimming with Ancient Romans

3/21/2025

Tomb of the Diver, fresco, Paestum

My Father was born in the Apulian fishing port of Molfetta. Even though he left at 4 years old, he still remembered the "white houses, lots of sailboats and the smell of the water". He was like a fish in water, of course. My Dad taught me to swim at a lake when I was young, at first showing me how to crawl on my hands in shallow water while kicking my feet. Within the course of a summer, I learned to propel myself, little by little, lifting my hands off the bottom and then learning to paddle with my arms. I also became like a fish in water... fishing, boating, skin diving and spear fishing, and then scuba diving. My son, Lucas is a water person, too. I suppose there's some of the Adriatic Sea in our veins.

Orantes River Swimmer, Louvre

Aristotle and Plato considered swimming an essential skill and a good form of exercise. Consider that the boot-shaped peninsula of Italy is surrounded by seas, with many different colors and textures.

And why wouldn't ancient Romans swim? There are 1200 rivers, 1500 lakes and nearly 5000 miles of coastline in Italy. Endless miles more in the entire Roman Empire.

Italian beaches range from rocky to gravel to sandy, with colors from white, pink, red, orange, grey, black and green. Even on rocky coasts, you will will still find small, tucked away "pocket beaches" in-between cuts in the seaside cliffs, with pebbles, broken shells or pottery, or sand. The Romans had no better way to stay cool in the long hot and humid summers than to take a swim in the nearest cool, clear, fresh water.

2nd Century Roman/Egyptian terracotta toy boat.

Pliny the Younger mentions in his Dolphin Letter that people enjoyed "fishing, sailing, and swimming" at the seaside. There is also evidence of children playing on sandy beaches, the way our children play today. In the Illiad, Apollo is described as "knocking a rampart down like a child kicking a sandcastle", .and the philosopher, Heraclitus (535–475 BC) said, “History is a child building a sandcastle by the sea, and that child is the whole majesty of human power in the world.” It's been said that the skill of swimming has always been second nature to both the Romans and Greeks, a skill learned as young children. The Roman governor, Pliney wrote, "People of all ages amuse themselves with fishing, sailing or swimming, especially boys, who love this play."

It seems to me that people who live close to the sea, lakes or rivers would naturally use these waters for fishing, refreshment and swimming. Those living inland or in mountainous areas, swam in rivers, streams or lakes, as travel to the coastline was too time consuming and labor intensive. We also have to consider the many natural hot springs and spas spattered throughout the volcanic Italian landscape. From ancient times to today, people "take the waters" for health and enjoyment, even if they are a bit stinky.

Wealthier or elite Romans did take holidays, frequenting seaside resorts such as Pompeii and Baiae. Roman baths often included deeper plunge pools specifically designed for swimming. In Rome, people swan in the Tiber River.

Plato once insulted someone by claiming, "He cannot neither read nor swim." Proof positive that swimming was ingrained in the Roman spirit.

--Jerry Finzi