Classical Greece & Rome

Greek philosophers treated perfume as a subject worthy of scientific inquiry, while Roman elites turned scent into an engine of commerce and status. Together they left recipe books, trade records, and ritual practices that still influence Western perfumery.

Athens

Perfumers clustered near the Agora; philosophers like Theophrastus documented raw materials and storage vessels.

Alexandria

Hellenistic laboratories blended Egyptian incense traditions with Greek cosmetic recipes for export across the Mediterranean.

Rome

Trastevere workshops supplied unguents to the imperial court while the Via Sacra housed luxury perfume boutiques.

Greek Theory and Craft

By the 5th century BCE, Greek artisans produced perfumed oils in small aryballoi using maceration with olive or almond bases. Theophrastus later documented storage, ageing, and seasonal blending—warning that heat and light degraded delicate florals such as iris and violet. His work preserved technical vocabulary that perfumers across the Mediterranean adopted.

Fragrance featured in athletics and drama: athletes anointed themselves before competitions, and playwrights referenced specific scents to signal mood or social class. Sanctuaries burned resin offerings alongside wine libations, intertwining perfume with ritual purity.

Roman Production and Luxury

Roman expansion absorbed Greek techniques and scaled them dramatically. Import tariffs recorded in theportorium Asiae show enormous volumes of cassia, cinnamon, and nard funnelling through Alexandria and Puteoli. Wealthy households maintained private scent cellars, while public baths infused steam rooms with rose and chamomile waters.

Literary sources describe perfumed banquets where ceilings rained aromatic oils, and senators debated sumptuary laws to curb overindulgence. Perfume jars (unguentaria) excavated in Pompeii and Ostia bear maker’s marks, evidence of branded production.

Signature Blends

Recipes preserved by Pliny, Dioscorides, and the anonymous *Cyrus the Perfumer* papyrus showcase complex accords.Rhodinon centred on rose petals from Rhodes steeped in sesame oil and stabilised with myrrh. Susinum combined lily, cinnamon, and cardamom, while Cyprinum blended henna leaves with balsam and saffron for religious rites.

These formulations relied on trade networks reaching Arabia, India, and North Africa, setting precedents for later amber and floral Oriental accords.

Chronology Highlights
c. 6th century BCE

Corinthian artisans export scented oils in painted aryballoi to Etruria and the Levant.

3rd century BCE

Theophrastus writes *Peri Osmōn* (On Odours), systematising Greek knowledge of aroma materials.

1st century BCE

Roman perfumer shops (unguentaria) expand around the Forum; Pliny records soaring imports of myrrh and cinnamon.

64 CE

Nero reputedly burns a year's worth of Arabia's frankincense at his wife's funeral, exemplifying imperial extravagance.

2nd century CE

Galen details fragrance-based therapies in medical treatises circulated through the Roman world.

Source Notes

Theophrastus, *On Odours*

Earliest surviving Greek text devoted entirely to perfumery, covering extraction and classification.

Pliny the Elder, *Natural History* XIII

Describes Roman import routes for incense, aromatics, and the economics of scented oils.

Susan Stewart, 'Perfume and Roman Society' (Journal of Roman Studies, 1994)

Analyses perfume use in Roman social rituals, baths, and banquets.

Andrew Dalby, *Food in the Ancient World from A to Z* (Routledge, 2003)

Provides context for ingredients such as susinum, rhodinon, and cyprinum within classical cuisine and cosmetics.

Back to TimelineLast updated February 2024