Roman citizens used sponges on sticks to bathe at the baths because they did not have access to toilet paper. These sponges were used to clean themselves after using public toilets.
Roman baths were a kind of public baths very popular among Romans of all social classes. It was a friendly place to relax, chat, but also to wash properly. However, in terms of hygiene, it wasn't always pristine: the water could quickly get dirty given the high number of users each day, sometimes hundreds of people. There was no modern filtration system, so bacteria and dirt accumulated. The Romans compensated by using various practical tools to clean themselves effectively, such as scrapers, scented oils, and especially the famous sponges on sticks.
In Roman baths, there was obviously no toilet paper, so citizens used a sea sponge placed on the end of a wooden stick called a tersorium, to clean themselves after using the latrines. Specifically, the sponge was dipped in a channel of running water to moisten it before use and then rinsed afterward. This system allowed for a certain level of hygiene since hands remained clean and away from impurities, but beware: these sponges were sometimes shared among several people, which posed some obvious health concerns.
The Romans primarily used natural sponges from the Mediterranean Sea, which were highly absorbent and durable. After harvesting, these sponges were carefully cleaned and dried to remove any impurities. For the handle, they often used relatively light wood such as ash or willow, which was easy to carve, durable, and comfortable to hold. They attached the sponge to the stick using plant twine or sturdy natural fibers, thus creating a practical and reliable tool for deep cleaning without tiring or soiling their hands.
These sticks with a sponge, called tersorium, had the precious advantage of allowing Romans to easily reach all parts of the body, including the back, which was often difficult to wash otherwise. Moreover, as they were sometimes shared in the baths (although not always advisable from a hygiene perspective), they promoted a certain closeness and sociability. From a health standpoint, their use limited infections by avoiding direct contact with damp surfaces that could accumulate dirt. Being clean was seen as a true sign of civility at the time, and handling one's sponge-stick elegantly could even enhance one's social status.
The Roman baths were often heated by an ingenious system called 'hypocaust', which circulated warm air under the floors and through the walls to maintain a comfortable temperature.
Some sponges used by the Romans came from the Mediterranean Sea; they were valued for their softness, high absorption, and durability.
The Romans used scented olive oil after bathing to hydrate their skin, remove remaining impurities, and also to assert their social status through expensive and rare fragrances.
In some significant Roman baths, citizens had access to libraries and exercise rooms in addition to the baths, transforming these facilities into true social and cultural centers.
The Romans generally used natural sea sponges harvested from the Mediterranean, fixed to wooden or bamboo sticks to facilitate their handling in the baths.
In public baths, these sponges were often communal, shared among users. However, wealthier citizens could own personal ones to ensure better individual hygiene.
Yes, in addition to stick sponges, the Romans also used strigils—metal instruments designed to scrape the skin to remove dirt and oil—as well as various fragrances and aromatic oils to complement their daily routine.
Mainly due to the collective context of the Roman public baths, using hands was not as effective or hygienic in the long term as using a tool that allowed for easy cleaning and thus avoided constant direct contact with the dirt of the body or the environment.
Although they may seem strange today, sponges attached to sticks were regularly rinsed with clear water or soaked in vinegar to prevent the proliferation of bacteria, thereby maintaining a minimum level of collective hygiene.
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