They had communal sponge on a stick they washed the sponges between use. There was a restroom attendant whose job it was to do that. Fun fact this is where the expression shit end of the stick originates. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xylospongium#:~:text=The%20xylospongium%20or%20tersorium%2C%20also,spongos)%20fixed%20at%20one%20end.

[–] HurlingDurling@lemm.ee 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Another fun fact a gladiator killed himself with one of these by shoving it down its throat until he died

[–] Blackmist@feddit.uk 14 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I feel like there are easier ways for a gladiator to kill himself.

[–] Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

Maybe he did it in a gruesome way to make a point like the Buddhist monks setting themselves on fire?

[–] bingbong@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yeah but not as kinky

[–] Valmond@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago

Kinky And stinky.

[–] Blackdoomax@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 year ago

Shittiest fact of the day. Thanks.

[–] casmael@lemm.ee 2 points 1 year ago

Highly informative, but I feel like I was mis-sold the fact at the end, which I fact wasn’t fun at all :(

[–] Beliriel@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

The tersorium was shared by people using public latrines. To clean the sponge, they simply washed it in a bucket with water and salt or vinegar.This became a breeding ground for bacteria, causing the spread of disease among those using the latrines such as typhoid and cholera.

Definitely a horrendous idea and not cash money at all. I'd be carrying my own water bucket. Why not wash your ass with clean water (like India)? I'm pretty sure they also had soap then and to save soap you can also use soap water. I mean it's really not hard to have a bucket or well with soap water and use flowing water to rinse.