Everyday hygiene, baths and medicine in ancient Rome

Ancient Rome usually brings to mind gladiators, emperors, and timeworn ruins. But Romans were also ordinary people who needed to wash, treat ailments, and look after themselves. Here is how that world actually worked, grounded in documented practices—without guesswork or embellishment.

Oil instead of soap, baths instead of showers

Romans didn’t use soap the way we do. They rubbed their bodies with oil and then scraped it off with a curved tool called a strigil, lifting away sweat and grime. This routine played out not at home, but in public bathhouses known as thermae.

The baths drew everyone—wealthy and poor alike. People came to get clean, to talk, to unwind, to trade news. It was a social hub as much as a hygiene stop, woven into daily life.

A toilet with a sponge and shared water

Without toilet paper, Romans relied on a sponge fixed to a stick. After use, it was rinsed in water and set back for someone else. By today’s standards that sounds unappealing, but in their world it was routine.

Toilets often stood near the baths, and bath water later served for flushing. Convenient, yes—though hardly pristine. It’s little wonder that diseases tended to spread in Rome.

How they cleaned teeth without a brush or paste

Roman teeth were often in decent shape—even without toothpaste, toothbrushes, or modern dentistry. They used powders made from ash, chalk, and other natural materials, rubbing them on with fingers or with sticks that had stiff bristles. Unfancy, but effective enough.

Treatment: from herbs to snake venom

Rome borrowed heavily from Greek medicine. Practitioners turned to herbs and complex blends, some of them surprising. One popular remedy, theriac, mixed dozens of ingredients, including opium and snake venom. People took it for all sorts of troubles—from pain and poisoning to colds.

Such preparations did not come cheap. Ordinary folks often couldn’t afford them and made do with infusions and salves.

Body care and beauty

Romans, especially women, cared about appearance. They used face masks and creams and removed body hair with tweezers, special mixtures, and at times even with fire. Looks mattered, and neglect wasn’t welcome.

Who could afford it?

The well-off had the best of it: personal physicians, private bathing spaces, and costly products. The poor relied on simpler means, often lacked access to good water, and turned to folk methods.

Why it still resonates

All of this sounds distant, yet much feels familiar: we still enjoy steam and heat, maintain grooming routines, and treat everyday ailments. The difference is that today it’s safer and easier to access. Strip away the marble, and Roman habits look less exotic—just another version of the same human urge to stay clean, feel well, and belong.