With its thermomineral deposit, Diocletianopolis was an important healing centre within the Roman Empire. In this respect, baths were of great importance in its architecture. So far, four public baths are known in the ancient city. Three of them are located in the fortified part of the city and one – 250 m east of the fortress wall, near today’s spring “Momina banya”.
In the central part of the Roman city, in the modern park “Momina salza”, a monumental bathing complex was built on an area of about 3000 square meters .
During the excavations of separate sectors of the thermae in order to refine some of the architectural and structural details, a marble lion’s head for a fountain, a part of a marble foot, a marble votive tablet of three nymphs and several bronze coins were discovered. The lion’s head is made very precisely. On its front side are represented in detail the characteristic features of the lion. The mouth is shaped like an opening with an almost rectangular section through which the water ran.
The discovered votive reliefs of the nymphs complement the rich collection of similar cult objects found during archaeological excavations in Hisarya. This fact supports the view of the presence of a nymphaeum (nymph sanctuary) around the Hisarya mineral springs. It can be assumed with some degree of certainty that the sanctuary of the nymphs was located in the pool room where the healing water procedures were carried out, and as a result of which people received healing for their illnesses. In gratitude to the healing deities and the nymphs, they placed various offerings in it.
Today, the revealed premises of the Diocletianopolis thermal complex are exposed and accessible for visit. The path of mineral water from the spring through the water mains and pools to the drains can be traced in its original form.