Roman Sanitation

How did Romans handle bathroom needs?

Romans often peed and pooped in public, or used chamberpots at home

How did Romans handle hygiene/bathing needs?

All but the wealthiest Romans bathed communally

How do these two paradigms fit into Roman conceptions of public/private?

In general, Romans see privacy as a privilege and the richest Romans will
recreate public amenities for their own us

Cloaca Maxima

(the Greatest Sewer)was probably constructed in the early
Republic to drain the forum, and keeps on
carrying wastewater from the city throughout
the imperial period

Latrines

Public ____where average roman citizen uses bathroom; Basically, you have a large channel under
the seat for solid waste and a little canal

Tersorium

A sea sponge on a stick to clean up after bathroom (COMMUNAL)