A brief ancient history of the "thinking room." Perhaps a title such as Hadrian's stall.
Yes, the Romans had toilets and sewage. No, they didn't match our idea of a clean bathroom in no way. Their toilets were stinking, disease spreading places, which gave rats and snakes an easy entrance to the house. You'd better take a talisman to the loo to ward off the demons that hide there. This, and much more is to be read in the newly published, extensive study: Roman Toilets. Their Archaeology and Cultural History, edited by Gemma Jansen, Ann Olga Koloski-Ostrow en Eric M. Moormann.
Roman group toilet, Vaison-La-Romaine, France
Credit: Radboud University Nijmegen
Classic toilets
Specialists in archeology, anthropology and classical history brought together all current knowledge on this humble topic, and included all known Latin, Greek and Hebrew texts on the subject, both in the original text as in translation.
Privats bathroom, Pompeij, Italy
Credit: Radboud University Nijmegen
Gemma Jansen: 'Multi-seater latrines, as we find them in Roman Ostia and in many other sites across the Mediterranean, are well known both to tourists and archaeologists, but very few people understand how they really functioned technically or how they may have been perceived in the context of Roman society. It is a new research area really. Everyday topics like going to the toilet were long taboo in science. I'm excited that it changed: everything is different than you think from your modern perspective. Image there was no toilet paper. people shared a sponge on a stick.'
Pecunia non olet
Chapters on the technology and construction of toilets, on the archaeology of toilets and their contents, on toilets in various ancient contexts (such as in private houses, baths, or military installations), on the impact of toilets on society and personal hygiene, especially in the Roman world, and on the decorations and graffiti from toilets, all combine to make this the most complete study of this important subject to date.
Gemma Jansen: 'Multi-seater latrines, as we find them in Roman Ostia and in many other sites across the Mediterranean, are well known both to tourists and archaeologists, but very few people understand how they really functioned technically or how they may have been perceived in the context of Roman society. It is a new research area really. Everyday topics like going to the toilet were long taboo in science. I'm excited that it changed: everything is different than you think from your modern perspective. Image there was no toilet paper. people shared a sponge on a stick.'
Pecunia non olet
Chapters on the technology and construction of toilets, on the archaeology of toilets and their contents, on toilets in various ancient contexts (such as in private houses, baths, or military installations), on the impact of toilets on society and personal hygiene, especially in the Roman world, and on the decorations and graffiti from toilets, all combine to make this the most complete study of this important subject to date.
Toilet situated at Hadrian's Wall, close to Housstead, Scotland
Credit: Radboud University Nijmegen
Sources and contacts:
Radboud University Nijmegen
Gemma C.M. Jansen, Ann Olga Koloski-Ostrow en Eric M. Moormann: Roman Toilets. Their Archaeology and Cultural History.
Gemma Jansen is an independent scholar who researches water and drainage systems in roman Italy and Turkey. During this research she discovered that toilets have not gotten much scientific attention and from that moment on she has devoted a lot of time and energy to promoting toilet research. Her PhD is in classical Archaeology from Radboud University Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Ann Koloski Ostrow is Associate Professor and chair of classical studies at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts (USA). She holds an MA in Latin and Greek and a PhD in classical Art and Archaeology from the University of Michigan. Her interest in roman toilets derives from earlier work on baths and sanitation on the Bay of Naples.
Eric M. Moormann studied classics and classical Archaeology at Nijmegen, where he received his PhD. He is Professor of classical Archaeology at Radboud University Nijmegen. His research circles around living in ancient towns (Rome, Pompeii, Herculaneum) and roman figural arts. He also works on the reception of classical antiquity in western culture. The study of ancient toilets is a new area of his research.
Contacts and sources:
Radboud University Nijmegen
Gemma Jansen is an independent scholar who researches water and drainage systems in roman Italy and Turkey. During this research she discovered that toilets have not gotten much scientific attention and from that moment on she has devoted a lot of time and energy to promoting toilet research. Her PhD is in classical Archaeology from Radboud University Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Ann Koloski Ostrow is Associate Professor and chair of classical studies at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts (USA). She holds an MA in Latin and Greek and a PhD in classical Art and Archaeology from the University of Michigan. Her interest in roman toilets derives from earlier work on baths and sanitation on the Bay of Naples.
Eric M. Moormann studied classics and classical Archaeology at Nijmegen, where he received his PhD. He is Professor of classical Archaeology at Radboud University Nijmegen. His research circles around living in ancient towns (Rome, Pompeii, Herculaneum) and roman figural arts. He also works on the reception of classical antiquity in western culture. The study of ancient toilets is a new area of his research.
Contacts and sources:
Radboud University Nijmegen
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