⏱️ 7 min read
Ancient Rome stands as one of history’s most fascinating civilizations, renowned for its military prowess, architectural marvels, and lasting influence on Western culture. However, beneath the surface of marble statues and grand coliseums lies a treasure trove of peculiar customs, shocking practices, and downright bizarre traditions that would astonish modern observers. These lesser-known aspects of Roman life reveal a society far stranger and more complex than typically portrayed in history books.
Unusual Customs and Practices of the Roman Empire
1. Urine as a Valuable Commodity
In ancient Rome, urine was far from waste—it was a prized resource with economic value. The Romans collected urine in large public pots placed throughout the city, which was then sold to fullers (ancient launderers) who used it to clean and whiten togas. The ammonia in decomposed urine served as an effective cleaning agent and was also used in leather tanning. This industry proved so lucrative that Emperor Nero actually imposed a tax on urine collection, known as the “vectigal urinae.” When his son complained about the disgusting nature of this tax, Emperor Vespasian allegedly held up a gold coin and remarked, “Pecunia non olet” (money doesn’t smell), a phrase still used today.
2. The Vomitorium Misconception and Real Dining Debauchery
While popular culture suggests that Romans built special rooms called vomitoria where they would purge between courses at lavish banquets, this is actually a misunderstanding. Vomitoria were actually the passages in amphitheaters through which crowds would “spew forth” after events. However, Roman dining habits were genuinely excessive. Wealthy Romans would recline on couches during meals that could last up to ten hours, consuming exotic dishes like flamingo tongues, peacock brains, and dormice stuffed with pork. Some historians do suggest that induced vomiting occasionally occurred, though it was never institutionalized as commonly believed.
3. Purple-Wearing Prohibition for Commoners
The color purple held such prestige in ancient Rome that wearing it could result in execution for common citizens. Tyrian purple, extracted from thousands of murex sea snails, was extraordinarily expensive to produce—more valuable than gold by weight. This luxurious dye was reserved exclusively for emperors and high-ranking senators. Sumptuary laws strictly regulated who could wear purple, with the deepest shades reserved for the emperor alone. A single toga dyed in true Tyrian purple could cost more than the average Roman earned in a lifetime, making it the ultimate status symbol of imperial power.
4. Gladiator Blood as Medicine
Romans believed that gladiator blood possessed powerful medicinal properties, particularly for treating epilepsy. Spectators would rush into the arena after matches to collect the blood of fallen gladiators, which they would drink fresh or mix into tonics. This practice stemmed from the belief that the strength, courage, and vitality of these warriors could be transferred to those who consumed their blood. Even more disturbing, gladiator liver was considered a curative food, and some vendors sold gladiator sweat scraped from their bodies as a potent aphrodisiac.
5. The Bizarre Beauty Standards and Cosmetics
Roman beauty routines involved substances that would horrify modern dermatologists. Women applied lead-based face powder to achieve a fashionably pale complexion, despite its toxic properties that caused serious health problems and sometimes death. Crocodile excrement was used as an anti-aging face mask, while crushed ants were applied to achieve rosy cheeks. Romans also practiced full-body hair removal, considering body hair uncivilized, and would use razors, pumice stones, or even pitch plasters. Additionally, both men and women used burnt leeches mixed with vinegar as an early form of eyeliner.
6. Professional Mourners for Hire
Wealthy Roman families would hire professional mourners, known as “praeficae,” to attend funerals and weep dramatically for the deceased. These performers would wail, tear their clothing, scratch their faces until they bled, and even pull out their hair to demonstrate grief. The more mourners and the more dramatic their performance, the greater the deceased’s perceived importance. Musicians and dancers were also hired to accompany funeral processions, which could stretch for blocks and included actors wearing masks depicting the deceased’s ancestors. This theatrical approach to death transformed funerals into elaborate public spectacles.
7. Leftover Bath Water for Different Social Classes
Roman public baths operated on a hierarchical system where the same water served multiple social classes throughout the day without being changed. The bathing order typically began with the highest-ranking citizens in the morning when the water was cleanest, followed by middle-class Romans in the afternoon. By evening, when the lower classes and slaves took their turn, the water was murky and filled with accumulated dirt, oils, and who knows what else. Despite this unhygienic practice, public baths remained central to Roman social life, serving as gathering places for business, gossip, and relaxation.
8. Emperor Elagabalus’s Outrageous Pranks
Emperor Elagabalus, who ruled from 218 to 222 CE, was notorious for his bizarre and often cruel sense of humor. He would invite dinner guests to elaborate banquets and then release leopards, lions, and bears into the dining room—the animals were allegedly harmless, though guests didn’t know this. He reportedly smothered some guests under massive piles of rose petals dropped from the ceiling, suffocating them. In another strange prank, he would provide guests with inedible items at dinner parties, serving each course in successively smaller portions, or seat them on whoopee cushions at formal events. His reign was considered so outrageous that he was assassinated at just eighteen years old.
9. Tooth Care with Human Urine Mouthwash
Romans were surprisingly concerned with dental hygiene, but their methods were questionable by modern standards. Portuguese urine was particularly prized as a mouthwash and tooth whitener, believed to be especially effective due to its high ammonia content. The poet Catullus even mocked a Spanish acquaintance for having such white teeth, suggesting he must have used excessive amounts of urine. Romans also brushed their teeth with powders made from crushed bones, oyster shells, and even powdered charcoal. While these practices seem revolting today, the ammonia in urine did actually have some antibacterial and whitening properties.
10. The Vestal Virgins’ Extreme Consequences
The Vestal Virgins were priestesses who tended Rome’s sacred flame and were required to maintain their chastity for thirty years of service. These women held significant power and privileges unusual for Roman females, including owning property and witnessing wills. However, the punishment for breaking their vow of celibacy was horrifying: they would be buried alive in an underground chamber with a small amount of food and water, then sealed inside to die slowly. The man involved would be publicly flogged to death. Conversely, if the sacred flame they guarded went out, the responsible Vestal would be stripped and beaten. Despite these severe penalties, being a Vestal Virgin was considered a great honor, and positions were highly competitive.
The Enduring Strangeness of Ancient Rome
These peculiar aspects of Roman civilization demonstrate that history’s great societies were far more complex and strange than simplified narratives suggest. From the commodification of bodily fluids to deadly fashion restrictions and theatrical mourning customs, ancient Rome operated under a value system that can seem almost alien to modern sensibilities. Yet these bizarre practices existed alongside remarkable achievements in engineering, law, and governance that continue to influence the world today. Understanding these oddities provides a more complete picture of Roman life, reminding us that cultural norms are products of their time and that what seems normal in one era may appear utterly bizarre in another. The Romans’ willingness to embrace practices we now find shocking reveals a society confident in its traditions, even when those traditions involved drinking gladiator blood or using urine as currency.