What the heck is up w the urine tax?
this post was submitted on 06 Sep 2024
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The Emperor Vespasian decided he needed more income, but didn't feel raising the proportions of existing taxes was appropriate. So he instituted a new tax - on urine. Urine was, bizarrely enough, purchased for leatherworking and cleaning - it's the ammonia - so buyers had to pay a tax on urine sold that was collected from public lavatories from then on.
Vespasian's son, Titus, expressed disgust at the tax, but Vespasian is said to have waved a gold coin under his nose, and told him that the coin came from urine, yet it didn't smell. From which we get the modern Latin phrase 'Pecunia non olet' - 'Money doesn't smell'
Also, for this reason, some Romance languages still use words derived from Vespasian's name for urinals.
Fascinating! I have heard it was used for cleaning but didn’t really believe it.
Reminds me of being a kid and driving past cow feeding lots in Kansas and my dad always saying ’smells like money’
The urine has to be given time to, uh, ferment, to get the ammonia concentrated. I imagine it was none-too-pleasant work, lmao
@[email protected] you are the best on lemmy imo
Aw, thanks, you'll make me blush! I'm just trying to spread love for how fascinating the past is, and the history trivia I've picked up over the years and have never found a practical use for, lmao
Urine was an important component of several industries in Rome, it was in tanning leather, wool production, and used as a source of ammonia for the laundering of togas:
It's a privilege to pee.
I'm guessing this is in decreasing order of prestige? Slaves were expensive, piss was not (although it wasn't worthless like today).