Overview

The Romans are renowned for their aqueducts, baths and water systems, achievements equalled in the modern world only over the past few hundred years. Their toilets, both single ('latrinae') and multi-seater ('foricae') form part of the Roman sanitation system that continues to fascinate the modern visitor to ancient sites today. In this well-illustrated overview, Barry Hobson describes toilets in the Roman empire from Iberia to Syria, and from North Africa to Hadrian's Wall. Particular emphasis is given to Pompeii, where many toilets are preserved and where some evidence for change over time can be found. The discussion encompasses not only details of location, construction and decoration of toilets, but also questions of privacy, sewage, rubbish disposal, health issues, references in Latin literature, and graffiti.

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9780715638507

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Reviews

This volume is both informative and sensibly structured with a basic factual overview of the topic and archaeological evidence, followed by in depth discussion of more theoretical issues, such as privacy and social issues. * Archaeological Review from Cambridge * Dr Hobson is... to be congratulated for helping to fill an obvious gap in the literature, and for getting his publisher to agree to a less than glamorous subject. * Bulletin of the ARA (Association of Roman Archaeology) *

Author Information

Barry Hobson was a GP until he retired and undertook a degree and Research Masters degree in Archaeology at the University of Bradford, UK. He has spent twelve seasons working at Pompeii and has travelled extensively looking for evidence of Roman toilets.

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