Fact Check: No, Pic Doesn't Show 'Roman Tidal Baths' in Malta at Same Sea Level as Thousands of Years Ago

Claim:

A photo shows "Roman tidal baths" in Malta still at the same sea level after thousands of years, thus disproving climate change.

Rating:

Miscaptioned ( About this rating? )

On June 30, 2024, X user @TomPlayford3 posted ( archived ) a photo with the caption, "Roman tidal baths on Malta - still at sea level after thousands of years. But - climate change is about to kill us all. Right?" The post displayed over 2.5 million views, 960 replies, 12,000 reposts, 41,000 likes and 4,400 bookmarks. Other users on iFunny , Reddit and X shared the same content.

However, @TomPlayford3's caption inaccurately described the picture and promoted misinformation about climate change. We contacted both @TomPlayford3 and professionals working in the field of climate science with questions, and will update this story if we receive responses.

The Photographer

Before getting into the post's inaccuracy, proper credit is due to Julia Kivelä, who originally published the photo. Kivelä, a travel photographer whose Instagram profile displays she lives in Finland, first posted the picture in 2019. Kivelä tagged the location as Sliema, Malta.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BvUbgL-HmwZ/

Kivelä's caption didn't promote any misinformation. Rather, her caption indicated an unnamed acquaintance had captured the image while she swam in the water. It read, "Amazing pools in Sliema. Try to spot me."

The Baths Aren't 'Thousands of Years' Old

According to the Malta government's Department of Information, the "Roman tidal baths" referenced by the user on X do not date back "thousands of years." The department's Facebook page dated the likely construction date of the so-called "Roman baths" to the Victorian era .

AtlasObscura.com reported of the baths in Sliema, "These pools are called Roman Baths, but they have nothing to do with the Romans. Instead, they appear to have their origins in the late 19th century, when Malta was a colony of the United Kingdom."

Misinformation About Climate Change

As for the sea level claim featured in @TomPlayford3's post, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) published, "Sea level has risen 8 to 9 inches (21 to 24 centimeters) since 1880."

Climate.gov also reported, "In 2022, global average sea level set a new record high – 101.2 millimeters (4 inches) above 1993 levels. The rate of global sea level rise is accelerating: it has more than doubled from 0.06 inches (1.4 millimeters) per year throughout most of the twentieth century to 0.14 inches (3.6 millimeters) per year from 2006–2015."

Further, while Malta did not appear as one of the dozens of countries from which the NOAA publishes water level station readings, the website did describe in detail the difference between local and global sea levels. The website also added, "Sea level rise at specific locations may be more or less than the global average due to many local factors: subsidence, ocean currents, variations in land height, and whether the land is still rebounding from the compressive weight of Ice Age glaciers."

The Sliema Baths

The restaurant named Surfside sits in front of the baths (or pools) in Sliema. AtlasObscura.com reported the following of the site's history:

Although the details are unclear, it seems like some wealthy Victorian people with nearby residences had pools carved out of the limestone rock for their personal use. The pools were relatively shallow to make them safe for swimming, and steps were often carved into one side so that people could climb in and out easily. As a heavy emphasis was placed on not revealing the human figure (especially the female figure) at the time, the pools were originally covered with blankets or wooden structures for privacy.

Over time, however, the superstructures over the pools were dismantled, and members of the general public were allowed to use the pools. Today, the Roman baths are a quirky yet popular feature of the Sliema coastline and are still used by locals who want a quick dip in the ocean.

For further reading, we previously reported the facts about a meme claiming two photographs purportedly taken 140 years apart disprove sea level rise and climate change. We also published an article about a rumor claiming the sea-level location of Plymouth Rock constitutes proof sea levels aren't rising.

Sources:

Climate Change: Global Sea Level | NOAA Climate.gov . 19 Apr. 2022, http://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-global-sea-level .

Dapcevich, Madison. "No, That Plymouth Rock Meme Doesn't Disprove Rise in Sea Level." Snopes , 8 July 2022, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/plymouth-rock-sea-level-rise/ .

---. "These Pics of Sydney Harbor Don't Debunk Sea Level Rise, Climate Change." Snopes , 19 July 2022, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/sydney-harbor-sea-level-rise/ .

Dark Nebula Deluxe. "Roman Baths of Sliema." Atlas Obscura , 18 June 2024, http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/roman-baths-of-sliema .

Debono, James. "Heritage in a Pool: The Story Told by the Sliema Baths." MaltaToday.com.mt , 27 July 2018, https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/environment/environment/88389/heritage_in_a_pool_the_story_told_by_the_sliema_baths .

Galea, Emma. "Did You Know That Sliema's 'Roman Baths' Were Actually Built in the Victorian Era?" GuideMeMalta.com , 21 Nov. 2023, https://www.guidememalta.com/en/did-you-know-that-sliema-s-roman-baths-were-actually-built-in-the-victorian-era .

Gauci, Ritienne. "Victorian Age Baths along the Eastern Coast of Malta." ResearchGate.net , Jan. 2012, https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Victorian-Age-baths-along-the-Eastern-coast-of-Malta-The-soft-Globigerina-Limestone_fig5_235606249 .

@julia_kivela. "Amazing Pools in Sliema. Try to Spot Me." Instagram , Julia Kivelä, 22 Mar. 2019, https://www.instagram.com/p/BvUbgL-HmwZ/ .

"Malta Government Department of Information." Facebook , https://www.facebook.com/DOImalta/ .

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration US Department of Commerce. What Is the Difference between Local Sea Level and Global Sea Level? https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/sealevel-global-local.html .

"Sea Level Rise and Housing Markets." National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) , 21 Mar. 2022, https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/sea-level-rise-and-housing-markets .

"Thrillist on Instagram: 'A Pool of Pools to Choose from: @julia_kivela. Sliema, Malta.'" Pinterest , Thrillist, https://www.pinterest.com/pin/41236152824906159/ .