Stop and think for a minute. Just when do you suppose were the very first hot tubs made? The early 1970s maybe? Perhaps even the early 1960s? Would you believe that it was around 2,500 years ago that the Romans built the very first hot tubs on record and if you think that yours was a bit of a hassle to set up, check out how they built theirs.

Roman hot water bath houses used natural flowing spring water piped in by way of lead pipes. So how was the water heated? The water in these earliest of public bathing and socializing aquatic centers that included both hot and cold pools was heated by way of fires that were stoked under their floors.

Also it was in these earliest of bathhouses that some of the very first observations on hydrotherapy were made. That is that the Romans and the Greeks were the first people to write about the effects of soaking in hot water on chronic conditions such as arthritis.

Understand that it was a very different world back then. No cars planes or forklifts, meant that people did a lot more walking and heavy lifting. Also a lack of modern medicine meant that so many simple injuries and conditions of today that are easily remedied went on to become lingering life long conditions back then.

No aspirin or pain medications of any sort meant that for the Romans who could affords the privilege, a nice long soak in a hot tub while perhaps sharing a carafe of wine with his or her friends and neighbors was their only relief. Fortunately today one needs not belong to the class of landed gentry to share in this simple pleasure.