A luxurious thermal bath complex has been discovered in Pompeii, believed to have been used by its owner to impress wealthy guests.

Found in a home on Via di Nola in the city’s elite district, the spa features three pools: hot, lukewarm, and cold, and could accommodate up to 30 people.

The complex is linked to a banquet room with frescoes depicting characters from the Trojan War, suggesting the house’s owner used the space to display social status, possibly for political gain, The Guardian has reported.

The baths, along with other recent finds, offer new insights into life before the AD 79 eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

Written by B.C. Begley