Strange Traditions in the Roman Empire (Part 1)

During the time of the Ancient Roman Empire, there were many traditions that were common back then, but today we might find them strange and unusual. There were many, many of these traditions, but this post will take a look at four of them. Part two coming soon!

Romans Generally Loved Murder

It is well-known that Roman citizens enjoyed going to the Colosseum to watch gladiators fight to the death. This was true, but most Roman citizens also enjoyed watching murder in other theaters.

Fact: Most gladiators did not fight to the death, and were treated more like pro athletes today. Death matches were rare, mainly because it was expensive to house and train a gladiator. Share on X

During a performance at a theater, if the actor’s character was intended to die, he or she would be swapped out at the last minute with a criminal who was sentenced to death. The criminal would then be murdered in front of the crowd, as a part of the performance.

Toilets Were A Place To Socialize

While most wealthy Roman citizens did own private toilets in their homes, most others used public toilets. There were no individual stalls, only a large room with many toilets side-by-side.

Many Romans were said to have spent longer than usual in these public toilet rooms to socialize with others and talk about many things.

Suicide Was Legal, If It Was Approved

As with today, Roman citizens were not legally allowed to commit suicide as they please. Yet unlike today, they could legally commit suicide, so long as they first gained the approval of the Senate.

A petition had to be filled out with a list of reasons as to why the suicide should be approved. If the Senate found the listed reasons to be valid, the petitioner was given a bottle of poison for free.

Gladiator Sweat & Blood Was Collected

Many Romans believed that gladiators were lion-hearted and, literally, possessed the soul of a lion. Gladiators were also typically young and very fit, so the Romans believed that their blood could cure diseases. Many elderly Romans drank gladiator blood in an attempt to become healthy again.

Gladiator blood and sweat was often collected after a match, and then sold to the public. Women used gladiator sweat in cosmetics.

Conclusion

That was just four of many Roman traditions that we, today, might find very uncommon. Here is one more:

Fact: Many Romans used urine similarly to how we use bleach. Urine was stored until it became a dark brown color, then used to clean clothes. While it did not make the clothes smell good, it did make them look clean. Share on X