The Archaeology of Sanitation in Roman Italy

“Invaluable. . . . A thoughtful investigation of an essential aspect of Roman civilization. Highly recommended.” — Library Journal

“Like all the best ancient history, [this book] provides rigorous engagement with our own assumptions about then and about now.” — The Spectator

“[A]. . . passionate account of the toilets and sewers of Roman Italy.” — Times Literary Supplement

“If shelf space allows only one book on Roman toilets, this is it.” — CHOICE

“A spirited, insightful, and eagerly-awaited monograph. . . . Effectively makes the case for an interdisciplinary approach to toilets and sanitation in any time period.” — Classical Journal

“[Professor Koloski-Ostrow’s] book is a dense scholarly examination of sanitation in Ancient Rome, but is also chalked full of thought-provoking insights and insightful research about everyday life’s most private behavior.” — United Nations of Roma Victrix

“Extremely helpful for anyone wanting to approach the study of ancient sanitation and is essential for any serious student of the Ancient Roman World.” — Canadian Journal of History

“An important contribution to a larger body of work focused on water systems and bathing in the Roman world. . . . Koloski-Ostrow does not merely assess whether sanitation and hygiene practices in Roman Italy were effective, based on modern sanitation ideals, but discusses how they may have been viewed in light of the time and the society in which they were built and considers what they can tell us about daily life in a Roman city in Italy.”—Isis

"Ann Olga Koloski-Ostrow’s clear, engaging work is a valuable, thoughtful study on a subject of interest to classicists, historians, anthropologists, and architectural historians. The Archaeology of Sanitation in Roman Italy promises to advance significantly the scholarship on this neglected aspect of life in ancient Roman Italy.” — John Clarke, University of Texas at Austin

“The Archaeology of Sanitation in Roman Italy exemplifies the high standards one expects from Ann Olga Koloski-Ostrow. This book is thorough, lively, and engaging, and I enjoyed it immensely, in addition to learning a great deal from it.” — Garrett Fagan, Pennsylvania State University