Roman Latrines

• The Romans constructed Latrines and Urinals for use by the general public, many were located in the Public Baths.
• Vespasian even introduced a tax on urine in Rome, which he sold to the Laundries as a cleaning agent.

Public Latrines

• Buildings with communal Public Latrines were constructed with marble seats in rows, flushing water in a channel underneath the seat, and a sponge on a stick for cleaning oneself.

Public Urinals

• Rome also had possibly as many as 144 Urinals or Public Latrines at crossroads and street corners consisting of just amphorae or barrels cut in half. These buckets were called ‘Dolia Certa’.

Urine Tax

• Vespasian (69-79 CE) instituted a Urine Tax.
• This involved the Collection of Urine from the Urine Pots or Buckets, which was then used as a cleaning agent by Laundries who paid the Tax when they purchased the Urine.