History’s Strangest Habits: 30 Peculiar Practices of the Past

In Ancient Rome, vestal virgins were a group of six women recruited at age six to tend the flame of the goddess Vesta. Expected to serve for 30 years, if their virginity ever came into question they would be buried alive as punishment. They were the only female priests in Ancient Rome.

Romans believed that eyelashes fell out from excessive sex, so women would use cosmetics to make their eyelashes look fuller and longer to demonstrate their chastity.

Before the advent of reliable and affordable alarm clocks, British and Irish workers were woken up by a person who made sure they could get to work on time. The knocker-up used a baton to knock on clients’ doors or a long and light stick to reach windows on higher floors.

Approximately 7000 years ago, humans used to drill holes in their heads to allow spirits to flow in and out of the body. This practice is called 'Trepanation.'

Making a purple pigment used to dye clothes for royalty in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome involved harvesting the pigment from rotting snails. The stench was so bad that Jewish law specifically granted women the right to divorce any husband who became a dyer after marrying.

To clean up after using the lavatory, ancient Romans used a “tersorium”, a sponge on the end of a long stick that was shared by everyone in the community. When not in use, the stick stayed in a bucket of vinegar or seawater in the communal bathroom.

Between the 4th and 5th centuries, ancient Athens adopted Ostracism, a (check and balance) system that allowed the citizens to vote to exile and banish anyone deemed a threat or tyrant for 10 years. The ostracism was only considered valid if the total number of votes counted to at least 6000.

In medieval times, red hair was associated with moral degradation and intense sexual desire. Redheads were regarded as vampires, werewolves, and witches. The Spanish Inquisition singled them out for persecution, believing their hair to be a sure sign that they stole the fires of hell.

Toilets in ancient Rome were bad enough to warrant prayers to the Gods of fortune written on the walls. Problems included bursts of flame from the methane buildup, and biting creatures emerging from below.

In the Victorian era, it was a thing to send “Vinegar” or Hate valentines anonymously to people you disliked. They were often incredibly harsh, and some even suggested the recipient go kill themselves.