#26: The Vomitorium Wasn’t for Vomit

Many people believe that ancient Romans would vomit food so they had more room in their stomachs to gorge themselves. It’s easy to see why this myth took hold. The Latin root word for Vomitorium is the same as the root for vomit, but it doesn’t necessarily refer to purging food. You can think of a vomitorium as a stomach that holds people.

It’s more about the act of spilling forth than it is about expelling your stomach’s content. I’m thankful to know there wasn’t an entire room devoted to throwing up. Can you even imagine the stench in a place like that? They didn’t have heating and air conditioning! It would smell awful!