![]() On top of that, the empire had not a single silver coin in its treasury. When Vespasian became Emperor, the Roman Empire had just emerged from a civil war that almost brought about a complete collapse of their world. Ancient Roman Public ToiletsĪlthough the tax was eventually removed, it was reenacted around 70 AD with the succession of emperor Vespasian (ruler of Rome from 69-79 AD). The buyer of the urine paid the tax, then it was then collected from the cesspools and recycled as a valuable raw material for a number of chemical processes. Urine was also collected from the public toilets of the upper classes. This tax was placed on the collection of urine at public urinals, since the lower classes of society had to relieve themselves in small pots which were then emptied into cesspools. ![]() In the first century AD, the Roman emperor Nero levied what was known as the “vectigal urinae”, which translates from Latin into “urine tax”. The “Vectigal Urinae” tax for Urine Collectors Fullonica (Dyer’s Shop) of Veranius Hypsaeus, fresco from Pompeii Often urine was used to bleach wool or linen and tan leather. Due to the ammonia content, urine was also important for the textiles industry, which was a booming trade during the Roman Empire. In Roman times, this was then used for laundry. If you leave urine out in an open vat it turns stale and produces ammonia through interaction with the air. ![]() Though most people today would decline the option of a urine-based toothpaste, it actually worked! This is because urine contains ammonia which is used in many household cleaners today. It was supposedly the strongest urine in the world and thus, the choice for whitening teeth. In fact, urine was so effective that it was used in toothpastes and mouthwashes up until the 1700s.Īs far as the Romans were concerned, the best and therefore the most expensive urine on the market came from the country of Portugal. The Romans believed that urine would make their teeth whiter and keep them from decaying so they used it as a mouthwash and mixed it with pummis to make toothpaste. Urine contains a wide array of important minerals and chemicals such as phosphorus and potassium. While today we flush or urine away without giving it a second thought, in ancient times it was considered a valuable commodity. Pecunia non olet meaning, “money does not stink” was a famous phrase coined as a result of this tax levied by the emperors Nero and Vespasian in the 1st century AD. Ancient laundries even used to collect urine in giant clay pots which were placed out in public for people to relieve themselves.Įventually, so much urine was used and collected that a tax was imposed by the Roman emperor. They used it as a cleaning agent for washing their clothes, brushing their teeth as well as for tanning leather. It was seen as much more useful than today. I trust the photo below requires no explanation.The ancient Romans have passed many traditions on to modern day society, but they certainly had a different perspective on urine. There were many communal activities to keep the Romans of the day busy. The temperature hit 30C and the vicar of Mount Eliza required a parasol. There was a fair amount of follow-the-leader during our visit as you can see from the photo below. Could someone please check under the rear bay window of the vicarage as I think I have one with pot plants in it. There were many statues uncovered in the area but those were clearly the days before facial recognition software. I also learnt the origin of the phrase Pecunia non olet (‘money doesn’t stink’) – google it if you must know before I get back. What ever happened to bricks? Modern Melbourne construction is all pre-fabricated concrete held together by Meccano.Ībove is an early laundry where the slaves ‘trod the washing’ in large stone vasts. The masons amongst us would have had a field day (literally) as I have never seen so many brick walls. The 88 delegates to the first international conference of the Society of Catholic Priests had a day out to this ancient city where St Paul would have landed when he was brought to Rome as a prisoner. I know I have described tourists in Rome in an earlier post but today I was one, wearing the headset etc and following our guide around the excavations ( scavi) of the ancient Roman seaport of Ostio Antico (nothing to do with a lack of calcium, I discovered).
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