Ad Quintum

Ad Quintum was an ancient Roman city in Illyricum, on the Via Egnatia connecting Dyrrhachium with Byzantium. The settlement was probably founded in the late 2nd or in the early 3rd century AD, and continued to be populated until the 4th century AD. Its well preserved ruins can be seen near the present-day village Bradashesh, right next to the SH7 road. The site was extensively excavated around 1968 which uncovered a fine Roman villa and a remarkably well-preserved thermae (bathhouse) taking advantage of the abundant springs nearby.

The ancient Roman Thermae of Ad Quintum

The bathhouse consists of five main rooms. At the eastern end there is an apsed exedra that was used as a dining room. This connects to the small rectangular cold plunge-bath. The apodyterium (undressing room) also survived with fine paintings and frescoes on its walls. Further to the western end of the building the ruins of the laconicum (heated sweating room) can be seen with the traces of the hypocaust (underfloor heating), along with the adjacent praefernium (furnace).