The building, probably of the Hadrianic period (AD 117-138), takes its name from a painting of the Seven Sages decorating a room that may originally have been used as a tavern and was later incorporated into the baths as a changing room. As we know from the placement of the entrances, the baths were used not only by the residents of the adjacent buildings, but also by those of the surrounding district. They had a circular frigidarium (room for cold baths) with a domed roof (C), paved with a mosaic with hunting 2 scenes and plant motifs; other fine mosaics decorated the walls of some niches. A second frigidarium (D) preserves a painting of Venus being born from the waters (Anadyomene), dating to the early 3rd century like the other paintings that survive in the adjacent rooms. Finally, in the south part of the complex were the tepidaria and calidaria (warm and hot rooms) (E-H).
Axonometric reconstruction of the building
(I. Gismondi)
Detail of the fresco of the Seven Sages (B)
Drawing of one of the polychrome wall mosaics in the frigidarium (C)
(M. Giammiti)
Mosaic of circular frigidarium
Polychrome wall mosaic from a niche of the circular frigidarium
Detail of the painting of the Seven Sages
Statue of Narcissus or Ganymede originating from the baths (Vatican Museums collection)