A History of Hot Tubs, via Roman Baths and Jacuzzi

The beginnings of Hot Tubs & Spas reaches back before the start of modern recorded history, when neanderthal man used the Earth's naturally occurring hot springs, whose warmth and natural healing properties were soon recognised.

As far back as 2000BC, the ancients of Egypt were using warm baths for their benefits to general wellbeing. Archaeologists have theorised that Phraortes built a Persian Hot Tub in 600BC.

In ancient Greece, celebrated philosophers such as Hipocrates and Plato mentioned the beneficial value of water. The Greeks were one early civilization that built structures around hot springs, showing they were aware of the potential theraputic properties of hot springs.

On the other side of the globe, Far Eastern cultures celebrated the theraputic power of water, even giving rise to a Japanese saying, "Mizu-no-Kokoro" - which means "Mind LIke Water" - referring to a peaceful state which can be attained for the spirit and mind. Those who have Mizu-no-Kokoro are said to be in harmony with all living things.

The Romans are perhaps the most famous historical champions of the hot spa, with many roman settlements centred around a chamber and temple based upon a natural hot spring. The most known of these is in Bath, England, where the settlement evolved into a network of hot tubs and bathing areas. The waters of Bath were enjoyed by the English Queen Elizabeth I, who visited in the 16th century.

By the middle of the 20th century, the first hot tubs as we know them were beginning to be developed, using water troughs and wine tanks to contain the water.

The Jacuzzi brothers were immigrants from Italy to America in the early 1900s, who settled in Berkley, California. One of the brothers, Rachele Jacuzzi, started a machining business making propellors for the fledgling aerospace industry. Unforunately, as a result of a plane crash which killed Giocondo Jacuzzi in the 1920s, the Jacuzzi Brothers turned their mechanical skills to pump systems.

In 1948, Candido Jacuzzi exploited the Jacuzzi company's talents with pumps to create a bathtub pump for his child, Kenneth Jacuzzi, who had rheumatoid arthritis, and the resultant chronic pain, from the age of 15 months. In between soothing hydrotherapy treatments at hospitals in California, Kenneth was suffering terribley, until Candido realised that the water pumps the Jacuzzi family had been producing for farming useage could be modified to give soothing aqua therapy at home.

By 1955 the technology was refined, and the Jacuzzi began to sell their J-300 pump as a home hydrotherapy aid for tired housewives. Very quickly, the Jacuzzi whirlpool bath system began to catch on, with Hollywood starlets Jayne Mansfield and Randolph Scott early adopters. American comedian and presenter Jack Benny was brought in as PR spokesperson, and the Jacuzzi revolution began.

The worldwide medical fraternity soon began to identify the benefit of the portable J-300 for hydrotherapy patients, and started recommending their use both in clinics, and in the patient's own homes.

In 1968, Jacuzzi released the "Roman Bathtub", the world's first integrated, self contained whirlpool bath system, which had jets put in the side of the tub which moved 50% air and 50% water for an improved whirlpool experience. This new Jacuzzi soon become the latest status symbol of weatlhy decadance, as thousands and thousands were sold to homeowners, leisure centres and clinics. .

By the early '70s, Jacuzzi were starting to produce bigger units, with in built filtration and heating systems - this was the advent of modern Hot Tubs or Spas as we know them. The glamour of the industry was also firmly cemented with the use of model Suzanne Somers as the face of the Jacuzzi marketing campaign.

The modern Hot Tub market is awash with brands, options, features and new developments. In future lenses I hope to explore the complexities of modern Hot Tubs and Spas in more detail.