13 Jul 2025

How smelly was ancient Rome?

From Sunday Morning, 10:06 am on 13 July 2025

Ancient Rome stank to the high heavens, according to Dr Thomas Derrick from Australia’s Macquarie University. Dr Derrick is an archaeologist specialising in the everyday lives of people in the Roman Imperial period. He joins Jim to talk about sanitation, odours, and hygiene habits in ancient Rome. 

Wall murals in the archaeological ruins of Pompeii, UNESCO, Campania, Italy (Photo by fotojourneys / Robert Harding RF / robertharding via AFP)

Wall murals in the archaeological ruins of Pompeii. Photo: FOTOJOURNEYS