A sweet-smelling, summer-time deodorant from Crito

“Crito’s sweet-smelling, summer-time poultice useful for whole body:

‘When there’s a lot of sweat troubling the body, it is going to be disgusting—especially during the summer-time, since the sweat comes on with a great deal of nausea and stench. That’s why this prescription is not just for women, but for men as well. In fact, the time is right to make a mental note of these soaps:

Sweet-smelling summer-time deodorant for the whole body

• Up to three ounces* each of dried roses and cassia

• Up to two drachmes* each of black cardamom, costus root and spikenard

• Two ounces* of moistened alum

Dissolve in a fragrant, aged wine, form into pills and dry in the shade. To use: after crumbling and sifting, sprinkle on liberally while bathing and give it a good rub into the body. Rinse thoroughly with cold water.’”

Καταπλάσματα θερινὰ εὐωδίαν ποιοῦντα τῷ παντὶ σώματι Κρίτωνος. ἱδρώτων δ' ἐνοχλούντων τῷ σώματι πολλὴ ἔσται ἡ ἐκ τούτων ἀηδία, καὶ μάλιστα θέρους· καὶ γὰρ πολλὴν ἄσην ἐπιφέρει καὶ δυσωδίαν καὶ διὰ τοῦτο χρηστέον τοῖς ὑπογεγραμμένοις οὐ μόνον ἐπὶ τῶν γυναικῶν ἀλλὰ κἀπὶ τῶν ἀνδρῶν· καιρὸς γὰρ καὶ τούτων μνήμην ποιεῖσθαι σὺν τοῖς σμήγμασι. Καταπαστὸν ὅλου τοῦ σώματος εὐῶδες θερινόν. ῥόδων ξηρῶν κασσίας ἀνὰ Γο γ’ ἀμώμου κόστου ναρδοστάχυος ἀνὰ ⋖ β’ στυπτηρίας ὑγρᾶς Γο β’, οἴνῳ παλαιῷ εὐώδει διαλύσας, ἀνάπλασσε τροχίσκους καὶ ξήραινε ἐν σκιᾷ· ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς χρείας κόψας σήσας δίδου διαπάσσεσθαι λουομένους καὶ ἀνατριβέσθωσαν ἐπιμελῶς καὶ τότε ψυχρῷ ὕδατι περιχείσθωσαν.

Aetius of Amida, Libri medicinales 8.7, 410,23–411,9 Olivieri

*Units:

1 Γο (ounce) = 27.3 g

1 ⋖ (drachme) = 3.4g

How to market soap in antiquity

We have quite a few ancient recipes for cosmetics attributed to Cleopatra. Maybe Cleopatra wrote them, or maybe they were marketing gimmicks by booksellers. Ancient marketplaces were not much different from today’s. (Here’s a nice book by Claire Holleran on street markets in Rome. More about these markets here.)

Then again, I guess in another way ancient marketplaces were different, because there didn’t seem to be as many safety regulations. Don’t prepare any of these things for use on the body. I can say from experience that it is not a good idea. I don’t endorse any of the claims made by the compilers, either that these are Cleopatra’s recipes (they almost certainly aren’t) or that they do what they say they do. They are not safe and these recipes are purely for historical interest.

(inspired by Laurence Totelin’s reconstruction of Metrodora’s deodorant at concoctinghistory.)

Cleopatra’s routine

Measures:

• λίτρα = pound = 12 ounces = 327.5g

• Γο = ounce = 8 drachme = 27.3g

• ⋖ = drachme = 3.4g

1. Cleopatra’s Sweet Smelling Soap

Source: Aëtius of Amida, Medical Books, Book 8, Chapter 6 (408,18-21 Olivieri)

Ἄλλο σμῆγμα Κλεοπάτρας βασιλίσσης πολυτελὲς εὐῶδες. κόστου σμύρνης τρωγλίτιδος ἴρεως ναρδοστάχυος ἀμώμου φύλλου κασσίας σχοίνου ἄνθους ἀνὰ Γο α` μυροβαλάνου λίτρας δ` νίτρου ἀφροῦ λίτρας β` κόψας σήσας χρῶ· ποιεῖ εἰς ὅλον τὸ σῶμα.

English Translation

“Another soap, Queen Cleopatra’s, very expensive and fragrant.

• One ounce each of:

  • Costus root

  • Troglodytic myrrh [sc. from Eastern Africa]

  • Iris

  • Spikenard

  • Nepal cardamom

  • Cassia leaves

  • Flowers of camel grass

• 4 pounds of the perfume-nut

• 2 pounds of foam of soda

Grind, sift and use. Works on the whole body.”*

*note: it doesn’t

2. Cleopatra’s Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

Source : Galen, Compound drugs according to place, Kühn XII 492

Καὶ τὰ τῇ Κλεοπάτρᾳ πρὸς ἀχῶρας γεγραμμένα ἐφεξῆς εἰρήσεται κατὰ τὴν ἐκείνης αὐτῆς λέξιν. πρὸς ἀχῶρας. τήλει λεπτῇ ἑφθῇ, μέλανος τεύτλου χυλῷ βεβρεγμένῃ, ἐκκλυζέσθω ἡ κεφαλὴ ἢ τεύτλου ἀφεψήματι ἢ γῇ κιμωλίᾳ βεβρεγμένῃ τούτοις ἐκκλυσαμένῃ, καταχριέσθω μυρσίνῃ λείᾳ μετ' οἰνελαίου, ἄνωθεν δὲ ἐπιτιθέσθω φύλλα τεύτλου.

English translation

“And in what follows I will quote in her very own words the things Cleopatra wrote against dandruff :

‘For Dandruff

• Boiled fine fenugreek

• Steeped juice of black beets

After washing with this preparation, the head is to be washed thoroughly either with a decoction of beets or wet cimolian earth. Wash it out using a paste made of myrtle with wine and oil, and place leaves of beet on top of the head.’”

3. Face Soap and Brightening Cream

Source: Aëtius of Amida, Medical Books, Book 8, Chapter 6 (407,15-21 Olivieri)

Σμήγματα προσώπου καὶ στιλβώματα. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐν τῇ ἀφαιρέσει τῶν ἐπιχρίστων πειρῶνται τὴν ὄψιν σμήχειν, χρηστέον ταῖς ὑπογεγραμμέναις σκευασίαις. Σμῆγμα λαμπρυντικὸν προσώπου. λιβάνου ἀφρονίτρου κόμμεως ἀνὰ ⋖ δ` ἀμύγδαλα λελεπισμένα μ` σεμιδάλεως ⋖ κδ` κυαμίνου ἀλεύρου ⋖ ιβ` ἀναλάμβανε ὠοῦ τῷ λευκῷ καὶ ἀνάπλασσε τροχίσκους καὶ χρῶ δι' ὕδατος ἀνιὼν ἐν βαλανείῳ καὶ χωρὶς βαλανείου.

English translation

“Facial soap and brightener. When you are removing makeup and trying to clean the face, use this preparation:

‘Soap for brightening the face

• Four drachme each of:

  • Frankincense

  • Foam of soda

  • Gum arabic

• 40 Peeled almonds

• Wheat flour, 24 drachme

• Bean flour, 12 drachme

Mix up with egg white and form into small balls.

Use with water when going in the bath or out of the bath.”*

*note: absolutely don’t