Garbage

Facets of everyday Roman life, from food to travel to petkeeping. "How did the Romans...?" answered here!

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Garbage

Postby Q. C. Locatus Barbatus on Tue Nov 05, 2002 5:21 pm

Salvete!



I always have heard that the Romans threw their garbage out of the windows, on the street. Is this right?

There must have been serious health problems when doing so. What did the Romans do about that?



Valete,



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Garbage

Postby Quintus Pomponius Atticus on Fri Nov 08, 2002 7:32 pm

Salve Locate,

I think the image of people emptying their chamber pots, trash cans etc. on the streets stems from the Middle Ages rather than from the Roman era, although certain districts in Rome itself were known for being quite dirty (Suburra etc.).

I suspect the wealthier citizens had their waste disposal arranged privately, or isn't public waste storage a modern invention after all ??

Vale,

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