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| Smyrna's Rebuilt Agora (Photo by Carole Raddato) |
In what was once the Greek city of Smyrna, now Izmir in Turkey, a theater thrived. But even esteemed actors have to heed Nature’s call. So what did they do when that happened?
A recent archaeological find indicates that they sat around a U-shaped latrine that was capable of serving many at once. This was a time for socializing as well as for doing one’s business.
Today we’ve "evolved" from that model. Smart phones have made it possible to ignore those around us, even while off the throne.
Resources
https://www.archaeology.org/news/10126-211104-turkey-smyrna-toilet
When I was in Iraq the base latrine had a similar setup. It was a social occasion for the guys. The women (there were only a couple) would wait til it was empty, then go in with newspapers to cover themselves.
ReplyDeleteFascinating! Thanks for weighing in.
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