Abstract
Today we view the ancient world through a highly sanitized lens. In reality, the Roman world was a filthy, malodorous, and unhealthy place. This article focuses on ancient toilet habits and toilet facilities, with special consideration of the situation in Roman Palestine and rabbinic Judaism. The toilet habits at Qumran—where excrement was considered a source of impurity, defecating on the Sabbath was prohibited, and the sectarians practiced toilet privacy—are exceptional for antiquity. In contrast, rabbinic Judaism did not associate excrement and defecation with ritual impurity. The final sections of the article discuss the toilet in the temple of Jerusalem and its priests’ toilet habits, as well as Jesus’ position on the impurity of excrement.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
