Mysterious Facts and Discoveries of Ancient Rome
Did The Romans Really Not Have Soap?
Contrary to some claims that Romans did not have soap back then, the truth is they did. Pliny the Elder, in his Historia Naturalis, discusses how sapo or soap was manufactured. Some historians believe that the Romans learned soap making from the Greeks, who in turn learned it from the Egyptians, while others believe soap use was brought by Celtic and Germanic people. However, despite the existence of bath soaps then, it was not a popular thing to use for baths. Instead, Romans cleaned themselves with just scented oils and water. Sometimes herbal brews for the upper class is mixed with water so it becomes soapy and foamy and they would either pour this over their bodies or they would take a dip in it. To remove dirt and residue from their skin, the Romans used a special kind of scraper called a strigil. To clean their behinds after going to the bathroom, a special sponge called a tersorium was used by them.
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