Public Latrines of Ephesus — Selçuk
Roman public latrine · built in the 1st century CE beside the Scholastica Baths · Ephesus, Selçuk, Türkiye
Photo: Carole Raddato via Wikimedia Commons, 8 April 2015 (CC BY-SA 2.0), from the Street Art Utopia archive. Full photograph shown; resized for display.
At Ephesus, holes cut into marble benches made a Roman public toilet with no walls between the seats. Turkish Archaeological News · Menemen State Hospital, Ephesos Checked The latrine lies north-east of the junction of Marble and Curetes streets and was built in the 1st century CE over a channel of running water. Turkish Archaeological News Checked
4 things to know
- No walls between the seatsThe toilets were holes cut into marble benches lining the walls, set side by side without partitions. Turkish Archaeological News · Menemen State Hospital, Ephesos Checked
- 48 seats on three sidesTurkish Archaeological News counts three rows of toilets along three sides of the room, 48 seats in all. Turkish Archaeological News Checked
- A pool open to the skyIn the centre, an uncovered pool collected rainwater, and the columns around it held up a wooden roof. The floor was covered with a mosaic. Turkish Archaeological News Checked
- Flushed by the bathsThe latrine was part of the building scheme of the so-called Scholastica Baths, which supplied grey water to flush the channel under the seats. Turkish Archaeological News Checked
Check-in guide
- 📍
- In the ancient city of Ephesus, north-east of the junction of Marble Street and Curetes Street. Turkish Archaeological News · Giorgio Galeotti photo, 7 Oct 2025 Checked
- 🛁
- Next to the so-called Scholastica Baths, whose grey water flushed the toilets. Turkish Archaeological News Checked
Sightings
- 1st c.CE
Built over a running-water channel · Turkish Archaeological News
- 20158 Apr
Photographed on site · Carole Raddato
- 202030 Jan
Described on an Ephesus page · Menemen State Hospital
- 202028 Dec
Illustrated account · Turkish Archaeological News
- 202323 May
Photographed on site · Warren LeMay
- 20257 Oct
Photographed on site · Giorgio Galeotti
Every stamp links to its source. Green stamps are dated photographs of the latrines at Ephesus; Giorgio Galeotti’s of 7 October 2025 sets the status stamp. Amber stamps are the 1st-century construction date and the dated written accounts.
On the record
Public latrines in Ephesus
“In the centre, there was an uncovered pool that collected rainwater and provided refreshment in the hot days of summer.”
Ephesos (Efes)
“There were toilets which did not have any part wall between each other.”
The facts
- Title
- Public latrines (latrina) of Ephesus. Turkish Archaeological News · Warren LeMay photo, 23 May 2023 Checked
- Builder
- Not named in the cited sources; built as part of the Scholastica Baths building scheme. Turkish Archaeological News Unconfirmed
- Year
- 1st century CE. Turkish Archaeological News · Menemen State Hospital, Ephesos Checked
- Place
- Ephesus, near Selçuk, İzmir Province, Türkiye; north-east of the junction of Marble and Curetes streets. Turkish Archaeological News · Giorgio Galeotti photo, 7 Oct 2025 Checked
- Medium
- Marble benches over a water channel (both sources); mosaic floor (Turkish Archaeological News). Turkish Archaeological News · Menemen State Hospital, Ephesos Checked
- Seats
- 48, in three rows along three sides. Turkish Archaeological News Checked
- Status
- Photographed on site on 7 October 2025. Giorgio Galeotti photo, 7 Oct 2025 Checked
- Our photo
- Carole Raddato, 8 April 2015, CC BY-SA 2.0. Carole Raddato photo, 8 Apr 2015 Checked
Related
- Toilets Worth Visiting (9 Photos): the SAU collection with the Ephesus latrines
All sources (6)
Archaeology and site descriptions
- Turkish Archaeological News: “Public latrines in Ephesus”, 28 December 2020. Location north-east of the Marble/Curetes junction; 1st century CE; marble benches, 48 seats in three rows, central pool, mosaic floor; Scholastica Baths.
- Menemen State Hospital (İzmir Provincial Health Directorate): “Ephesos (Efes)”, 30 January 2020. Marble toilets without walls between them, dated to the 1st century AD; pool among columns.
Photos
- Wikimedia Commons: Carole Raddato, “Latrines, Ephesus, Turkey”, taken 8 April 2015. CC BY-SA 2.0.
- Wikimedia Commons: Warren LeMay, “Latrina, Ephesus Archaeological Site, Selcuk, Turkiye”, taken 23 May 2023. CC BY-SA 2.0.
- Wikimedia Commons: Giorgio Galeotti, “Latrinae – Ephesus, Selçuk, İzmir Province, Turkey”, taken 7 October 2025. CC BY-SA 4.0.
Street Art Utopia
- Street Art Utopia: Toilets Worth Visiting (9 Photos), 19 October 2026. The SAU post with this photo.
Artwork File · Last checked 19 October 2026 · Certainty labels follow How We Verify Art · All Artwork Files