In Roman society, how someone smelled was a big part of their identity. The word “perfume” comes from the Latin per fumum, meaning “through smoke,” because Romans often scented their homes and clothes by burning fragrant resins and woods.
Archaeologists have found frescoes and mosaics in ancient Roman cities like Pompeii and Herculaneum showing people using perfumes and beauty treatments. These artworks give us a glimpse into how important fragrances were in daily life.
Roman writers like Martial even warned about using too much perfume, saying “Non bene olet qui bene semper olet” — “He who always smells good does not smell well,” reminding people that moderation was key.
In the 1st century AD, a freedman named Cosmo became a pioneer in making and selling perfumes. He opened special shops called tabernae unguentariae in a famous perfume district known as Vicus Unguentarius.
Roman perfumes were made from exotic ingredients like rose petals, saffron, honey, ginger, and aromatic roots. Ancient scholars Pliny the Elder and Dioscorides recorded recipes that sometimes required thousands of rose petals to create a single fragrance.
Perfumes also had religious and therapeutic uses, playing an important role in rituals and everyday life.
Today, many Roman artifacts related to perfume can be seen in museums like the Palazzo Massimo alle Terme in Rome, helping us understand the rich history behind these ancient scents. 
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