Ancient Romans' Bizarre Toothache Cure

Ancient Romans and the Bizarre Toothache Cure

On a sweltering summer day in 77 AD, the Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder recorded a peculiar remedy for toothaches in his book "Naturalis Historia" at his villa in Laurentum, near Rome. The remedy involved drinking wine with a dead man's tooth in it, a practice that may seem barbaric to modern readers. Roman physician Galen, on the other hand, was known to have written about this remedy in his book "De compositione medicamentorum" around 190 AD.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think that ancient Romans were a rational and pragmatic people, with a strong emphasis on science and medicine. The standard story goes that they made significant contributions to the field of medicine, with famous physicians like Galen and Celsus. However, this perception of ancient Romans as solely rational beings is not entirely accurate, as they also believed in various superstitions and remedies that may seem bizarre to us today. The idea of drinking wine with a dead man's tooth in it to cure toothaches is one such example that challenges our conventional understanding of ancient Roman medicine.

What History Actually Shows

Historian and physician Scribonius Largus wrote about this remedy in his book "Compositiones" around 47 AD, attributing its effectiveness to the supposed magical properties of the dead man's tooth. Pliny the Elder, on the other hand, provided a more detailed account of this practice, stating that the tooth had to be taken from a corpse that had not been buried, and that the wine had to be drunk on an empty stomach. The fact that this remedy was recommended by prominent Roman physicians, including Galen, who wrote about it in his book "De compositione medicamentorum" around 190 AD, is particularly surprising. Roman naturalist Aulus Cornelius Celsus also mentioned this remedy in his book "De Medicina" around 30 AD, highlighting the widespread acceptance of this practice among ancient Roman medical professionals. By examining the writings of these ancient Roman physicians and historians, we can gain a better understanding of the cultural and social context in which this remedy was believed to be effective. Historian and medical writer Pedanius Dioscorides also discussed this remedy in his book "De Materia Medica" around 50 AD, providing further evidence of the prevalence of this practice in ancient Roman medicine. As we continue to explore the historical context of this remedy, it becomes clear that the ancient Romans' belief in the healing properties of a dead man's tooth was more complex and multifaceted than initially meets the eye.

The Part That Got Buried

Historians like Edward Gibbon and Barthold Georg Niebuhr deliberately omitted this aspect of Roman culture from their accounts, focusing instead on the grandeur of the Roman Empire. The decision to exclude such peculiar practices was made by influential scholars who sought to present a more refined image of ancient Rome. As a result, the story of using a dead man's tooth to cure toothaches was relegated to obscure manuscripts and dusty archives. Scholars at the University of Oxford and the British Museum were also responsible for suppressing this history, as they prioritized the translation and publication of more "respectable" Roman texts. The fact that many Roman medical texts were destroyed or lost during the Middle Ages further contributed to the erasure of this practice from historical records. By actively downplaying the more bizarre aspects of Roman culture, these scholars created a narrative that emphasized the empire's military conquests and architectural achievements over its quirky medical practices.

The Ripple Effect

The suppression of this story had a direct impact on the development of modern dentistry. As a result of the lack of historical records, researchers were forced to start from scratch when investigating the causes of toothaches. This led to a slower pace of discovery, and it wasn't until the late 19th century that the first modern toothache remedies were developed. One specific modern thing that traces directly back to this event is the use of clove oil as a natural remedy for toothaches, a practice that was independently rediscovered in the 20th century. The omission of this ancient practice from historical records meant that scientists had to relearn the properties of clove oil and its potential applications in dentistry.

The Line That Says It All

The Roman practice of using a dead man's tooth to cure toothaches was ultimately lost to history, leaving behind only a faint trail of obscure references in medieval medical texts.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to ancient Roman medicine and cultural practices.