The emperor who taxed pee
Ancient Rome gave the world a famous saying: *pecunia non olet*, or “money does not stink.” It is linked to Emperor Vespasian, who helped refill Rome’s treasury with a tax on urine.Pecunia non olet: Why Romans Taxed Urine
Why urine was worth money
This was not just random filth. Collected urine from Rome’s public urinals was sold for tanning, cloth-making, and cleaning because it was useful for processing materials.Pecunia non olet: Why Romans Taxed Urine
