Liquid Gold: The repulsive ways the ancient Romans used urine in their everyday lives

In ancient Rome, urine served various practical purpose in daily life. Almost all households collected urine to use as a cleaning agent, primarily due to its ammonia content.

It effectively removed stains and dirt from clothing and household surfaces.

Also, Romans used urine to clean their teeth. They believed it could whiten them and maintain oral health.

Rather than using as a toothpaste, as we might imagine, it was taken more as a mouthwash; it was gargled before being spat out.

This unconventional method might seem totally unacceptable today, but it was a very common practice at the time.

It also found its place in various kitchens through the empire. Although it was not directly consumed in food, it was used as a source of salt and a fermenting agent.

Just like salt, it contributed to the preservation and flavoring of certain foods.

In addition, it was used as a fertilizer to enrich the soil in gardens and farms.

It was the nitrogen in urine that made it a particularly effective natural fertilizer.

The Roman textile industry found an unlikely use for urine, particularly in the process of fulling cloth.

Fulling was the cleaning and thickening the fabric, and urine's ammonia content served as an effective natural detergent.

Fullers, the workers in this process, would collect urine in large vats and soak the cloth to remove grease and impurities.

As a result, the fabric emerged cleaner and more durable, ready for further processing or sale.

In addition, urine was helpful in dyeing textiles. Its acidic nature helped set certain dyes, allowing colors to remain vibrant for longer.

This application was especially important in a society that valued brightly colored garments as a symbol of status and wealth.

By utilizing urine in this way, the Romans could produce a wide range of vividly colored fabrics: from the deep reds of the military cloaks to the purples associated with the imperial family.

But they all smelled like wee as a result.

As a shock as it is to us today, ancient physicians would often analyze the color, smell, and taste of a patient's urine in order to diagnose various ailments.

This practice, known as uroscopy, was based on the belief that changes in urine characteristics could indicate underlying health issues.

For instance, cloudy urine might suggest a kidney problem, while a reddish hue could signal blood in the urine.

On occasions, it could also be leveraged as a remedy for a range of medical conditions.

In particular, it was used as an effective topical treatment for wounds, sores, and skin irritations.

It was believed that that its antiseptic properties could promote faster healing.

In a much more gross way, urine was a component in several medicinal concoctions.

For example, it was mixed with other ingredients to create ointments for treating burns or ear infections.

While some of these applications may seem disturbingly unconventional by modern standards, they were grounded in the received knowledge and resources available at the time. 

In ancient Roman society, urine was thought to possess whitening properties.

We have already seen how this promoted it as a popular choice for oral hygiene, but it was also incorporated into skincare routines.

It was often applied to the face as a treatment for blemishes and to improve complexion.

Again, it was the ammonia in urine that was thought to have cleansing and exfoliating effects.

While it may have been crucial in helping to maintain clear and youthful-looking skin, was it really worth the cost of rubbing it all over your face?

Interestingly, there were public urinals strategically placed throughout Roman cities for the purposes of collecting this valuable liquid.

Also, citizens contributed their own urine from home, which was then collected to ensure a steady supply of urine for commercial and practical purposes.

The economic value of urine was further recognized by the creation of the urine tax, known as vectigal urinae, by Emperor Vespasian.

This tax was levied on the collection and sale of urine, which helped to generate additional revenue for the state.

However, there was a general outcry about the nature of the tax.

In response, the pragmatic Vespasian famously remarked, "Pecunia non olet" or "Money does not stink".