# Did Ancient Roman Cities Have Scheduled Trash collections?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-ancient-roman-cities-have-scheduled-trash-collections/466306>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 3, 2008, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-ancient-roman-cities-have-scheduled-trash-collections/466306 "2008-10-03T13:21:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-ancient-roman-cities-have-scheduled-trash-collections/466306/21 "2008-10-04T15:12:34Z")

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Tannign leather was actually worse than that. The process could take over a year to complete in early times. it was not until the Middle Ages that anyone discovered the couple-month-long process!

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**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-ancient-roman-cities-have-scheduled-trash-collections/466306/22 "2008-10-04T17:12:56Z")

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Pieces of broken amphorae (and there were a lot of them, the amphora having been the preferred vessel for transporting liquids) were just tossed on a big pile, which over time accumulated to form a mound. It is still visible in Rome, known as [Monte Testaccio](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monte_Testaccio), and although it’s not possible to climb it (it’s enclosed by a fence), it is clearly visible that this hill actually consists of ceramic fragments.

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