Thermae Romae redux

Thermae Romae redux is a revised and expanded edition of Mari Yamazaki’s acclaimed comedy manga series, originally serialized between 2008 and 2013. The story follows Lucius Modestus, a Roman architect who discovers a series of time-traveling portals inside public baths, transporting him to modern-day Japan where he gains inspiration for his own bathhouse designs. This redux version was published to celebrate the enduring legacy of the work, which earned significant praise for its creative juxtaposition of ancient Roman culture and contemporary Japanese bathing traditions.

The series is celebrated for Yamazaki’s meticulous attention to historical detail, which balances the absurd premise with grounded, authentic depictions of Roman architecture. Yamazaki, who drew from her deep personal interest in classical history, utilized the medium to explore the cultural parallels between two societies separated by millennia but united by a shared appreciation for hygiene and communal bathing. It remains a hallmark of historical-comedy manga, frequently lauded for its wit and educational insights into the daily lives of the ancients.