Survivalist Pro
Survivalist Pro
Photo: Rachel Claire
Toilets and public baths were heavy with the smell of excrement, urine and disease. In classical scholarship, when we sniff out what the nose knows, we reconstruct a vivid picture of daily life in Rome, one that reveals both the risks and the delights of that ancient society.
Here are the basic items to put in any go bag: Battery-operated or crank radio. Cash. Emergency blanket. Extra batteries for radios. Extra keys to...
Read More »
Solar power systems will not work during a blackout for technical and safety reasons. In the hours without consistent sunlight, you'll still...
Read More »The ancient Romans lived in smelly cities. We know this from archaeological evidence found at the best-preserved sites of Roman Italy — Pompeii, Herculaneum, Ostia and Rome — as well as from contemporary literary references. When I say smelly, I mean eye-wateringly, pungently smelly. Even the entertainment reeked. Consider the carnage produced by the popular gladiatorial and animal blood-bath games. At Rome’s Colosseum, a system of ropes and pulleys could lift as many as 100 animals (such as leopards, lions, tigers and panthers) simultaneously to the arena’s surface. During the building’s first 100 days, in 80 C.E., a total of 9,000 animals were killed. The smells from the remains of games held in this or any other amphitheater must have been ghastly — a combination of blood, guts, dead men, dead animals and millions of flies gorging on all that flesh. Open-air Roman markets presented their own version of this sensory assault. Amid the fragrant fresh fruits and piles of herbs, the displays of shellfish, fish and blood-red slabs of meat would have had no refrigeration, save for some occasional ice or snow from the mountains during the winter months. The fly-infested fish and meat quickly turned rancid. It’s no wonder Romans made liberal use of heavy fermented fish sauces to hide the multitude of sins blooming in deteriorating foods. The smoke and smells of animal fat burning on open altars regularly filled the fora and nearby streets. Roman religious festivals required a daily blood sacrifice of at least one bull or some other animal, sometimes dozens of them. As the smells of burning beef filled the fora during the numerous festival days, the smells of human carcasses burning by the hundreds (by the thousands during plague periods) blemished the air each and every day — for centuries, the Romans cremated their dead just outside the main city gates. Despite this foul-smelling atmosphere, the ancient Romans are widely admired for what appears to be an enormous commitment to hygiene and public health. We know they built vast sewer systems, such as the masterful Cloaca Maxima in Rome. And the gleaming Roman baths tourists still visit today present a vision of cleanliness and purity. But my research has revealed that the Cloaca and other cities’ sewer systems weren’t constructed primarily for the removal of human waste. They were used to drain water that pooled on uneven streets or filled low-lying areas after river floods. This discovery altogether changes our ideas about the Romans’ perspective on health and sanitation. Sewers moved unbearably odoriferous water away from where it hindered cleanliness, economic growth, urban development or industry, but they did not contribute that much to urban sanitation. Almost every house and apartment building in Pompeii, Herculaneum and Ostia (cities much better preserved than Rome) had private one-seat toilets, yet they were rarely connected to the main sewer lines. They tended to be cesspit toilets, which had to be emptied by hand (household slaves had the honor). The contents were either sold to farmers for fertilizer or used in household gardens.
Women desire a man who is honorable, fair, and ethical. In terms of relationships, having integrity can help strengthen the bond a man has with a...
Read More »
The best game stories can capture our imaginations, steal our hearts, and effectively pull us into other worlds. ... So get ready as we take you...
Read More »
Teufel Hunden We got our nickname Devil Dogs from official German reports which called the Marines at Belleau Wood Teufel Hunden.
Read More »
After three to five days of not drinking water, your organs begin to shut down, especially the brain, which could have lethal consequences...
Read More »
1933 double eagle coins Currently, with the exception of the one sold on July 30, 2002, 1933 double eagle coins cannot be the legal possession of...
Read More »
Accessing the Secret Diagnostic Menu To get the ball rolling, simply open your Samsung's phone app. From there, enter *#0*# using the dial pad, and...
Read More »
Promotion
Promotion
Promotion
Promotion