Roman Bathhouse at Avdat

A splendid Roman bathhouse is located at the bottom of the hill below the acropolis.  To get water for this bathhouse, a well over 60 meters deep was constructed.

Water Supply:-- The Nabateans built where no one had settled before.  The Israelite's territory stretched from "Dan to Beersheba," but not further South (except for military posts).  The annual precipitation was considered to be too little to support a settled population.  The Nabateans proved this wrong and built cities in the highlands.  They were able to prosper because of the rich trade that passed through the cities and their ability to carefully manage the water supply.  Elaborate drainage systems were constructed to collect every ounce of rainwater and channel it into family and public cisterns.