History

Prompt:  What evidence do we have that the historical information we received (about the Baths of Caracalla) is reliable?

Answers:

-the remains give clues to today's historians

-they should be primary sources (Seneca)

-physical evidence gives hints, but they add details into the story to make it more believable

-witness accounts

-use imagination to replace the parts they are not sure of 

-we don't know everything, but can make educated assumptions based on the physical evidence we do have

-Seneca wrote about the place he was, which gives us written proof

-we can see here the existence of buildings from the past and also evidence of the habits of the ancient Romans

-we have physical structures and the materials are used in other Baths

-Seneca's written word, but was it politically influenced? 

-small details such as the number of people who visited may not be accurate but are not as important

-the part about the quantity of slaves may not be accurate 

-we have to believe it is true, it is the only information we have been given

-other sources could be out there that give us different information.