Why did Roman bathing and architecture practices continue in the Middle East after the Arab conquests but not in Europe after the Germanic conquests?

by Vladith

Were the Arab conquerors already familiar with Roman-style baths, aqueducts, and arches? Why were they able to maintain these structures, when the people of Europe could not?

Tiako

Well, they didn't entirely disappear. There were still aqueducts maintained in Spain, for example, until modern times. But as a general rule, these features of Roman civilization were distinctively urban. Villas certainly had baths, but the Roman bath we usually think of was something hat existed in a city. And, as another general rule, the most striking social change accompanying the fall of the Empire in the West was a process of deurbanization. So in essence, these fell out if fashion due to a larger process of social change.