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ضريبة المراحيض
The Urine Tax: The Story of Vespasian and the Strangest Tax in Roman History
Can money have a smell? Vespasian says (Pecunia non olet). In the heart of Roman history, specifically in 69 AD, one of the strangest taxes ever appeared: the urine tax! It may seem bizarre, but behind this tax lies a fascinating political and economic story, spearheaded by the Roman Emperor Vespasian, the man who uttered his famous phrase: “Pecunia non olet,“…
May 24, 2025Public toilet tax
During the year 69 AD, the Roman general Vespasian was besieging Jerusalem to suppress a rebellion when he decided to entrust the siege to his son Titus so that he could go to Alexandria and from there to Rome to claim the contested imperial throne. In Alexandria, he received news of the defeat of his rival Vitellius and that the Senate had recognized him as emperor, and…
March 1, 2024