1.The Roman Corpse Collector—Cleaning Up the Streets of the Dead
Ancient Rome was a marvel of engineering and governance, but it was also a city teeming with disease, overcrowding, and, at times, a disturbing number of unclaimed dead bodies. While modern sanitation workers handle waste and refuse, in Rome, the management of corpses fell to the lowest rungs of society. Unlike the organized “body collectors” of later eras, such as those during the Black Death, Rome had no centralized profession solely dedicated to corpse removal. Instead, enslaved individuals, the destitute, or members of funerary guilds were responsible for handling the dead, particularly when bodies were found in public spaces.
The treatment of the deceased in Rome followed strict religious customs. Corpses were either cremated or buried outside the city limits, as Roman law forbade burials within the urban core to prevent disease and spiritual contamination. Funeral workers, known as libitinarii, operated under the supervision of the goddess Libitina, associated with death and funerary rites. These individuals handled everything from preparing the body to organizing processions. However, when the city faced plagues or violent upheavals, unclaimed bodies would accumulate, leading to the grim necessity of mass removals.
During periods of crisis, such as the Antonine Plague (165–180 CE) or the Cyprian Plague (249–262 CE), the demand for corpse disposal skyrocketed. The impoverished or enslaved were often tasked with clearing the streets of the dead, a job that exposed them to disease, social stigma, and harsh working conditions. Some corpses were transported to mass burial pits, while others were burned in hurried cremations to prevent further contagion. Despite the vital role these workers played in maintaining urban hygiene, they occupied one of the lowest social standings in Roman society—viewed as impure due to their proximity to death.
Though Rome lacked a formalized “corpse collector” profession, the need for such labor was undeniable. Without these overlooked workers, the city’s tightly packed streets could have become breeding grounds for even deadlier outbreaks. Their work, though grim, was an unspoken yet essential part of Rome’s survival, ensuring that the grandeur of the empire did not succumb to the unchecked decay of its deceased.
2.The Professional Mourner—Getting Paid to Cry at Funerals
In the ancient world, the louder the wailing, the more respected the deceased. Enter the professional mourner—a person hired to cry, lament, and sometimes even physically harm themselves in exaggerated displays of grief. This peculiar profession existed across multiple civilizations, from Egypt and Rome to Greece and China, serving as a status symbol for the wealthy and powerful. The more mourners a family could afford, the greater the public perception of their loss.
In ancient Rome, professional mourners, or praeficiae, were exclusively women who led funeral processions with dramatic performances of sorrow. They would tear their clothing, scratch their faces, and scream in grief alongside musicians, ensuring that the loss of the deceased was seen—and heard—by the entire community. Meanwhile, in Egypt, some mourners played an even more sacred role. These women impersonated the goddesses Isis and Nephthys, standing at either end of the coffin, their bodies shaved and marked with tattoos, wailing as part of an essential funerary ritual.
Beyond social spectacle, professional mourning had deep cultural and religious significance. In many societies, it was believed that an intense display of grief helped guide the spirit of the deceased to the afterlife. It was also one of the few professions where women could earn money independently, as men were often discouraged from openly displaying sorrow. Though this practice has largely faded, remnants of it persist today in certain cultures where mourners are still hired to ensure a proper farewell.
3.The Pharaoh’s Licker—Tasting Sacred Objects for Poison
Ancient Egypt was a civilization of grandeur, ritual, and strict hierarchies. Pharaohs, considered divine rulers, were surrounded by an intricate system of officials and servants dedicated to preserving their power and safety. However, despite the elaborate security measures taken to protect them, there is no historical evidence to suggest that a role known as “The Pharaoh’s Licker” ever existed. The idea of an individual tasked with tasting sacred objects for poison does not align with what scholars know about Egyptian palace life and religious practices.
Pharaohs were indeed at risk of assassination, but their protection relied on trusted officials, food tasters, and complex religious rituals rather than a single person licking sacred artifacts. High-ranking officials such as viziers and temple priests controlled access to the pharaoh and ensured that religious objects were properly handled. Temple offerings were meticulously prepared and blessed, but there is no record of them being tested for poison in such a manner. Instead, security measures focused on palace guards, tasters for food and drink, and controlled access to sacred spaces.
While the notion of a “Pharaoh’s Licker” is an intriguing and dramatic concept, it is more likely a modern fabrication or exaggeration rather than a documented historical role. Ancient Egyptian society was deeply structured, and tasks related to the pharaoh’s safety were carefully managed through established religious and political protocols.
4.The Sin Eater—Consuming Food to Absorb the Sins of the Dead
In the rural communities of Britain and Wales, a haunting ritual once played out at the threshold between life and death. The sin eater, typically a social outcast, was summoned to absorb the spiritual burdens of the deceased—through nothing more than a simple meal. This practice, which persisted from at least the early 1600s until the 19th century, was rooted in the belief that sins could be transferred from the dead to the living, ensuring the departed a cleansed soul in the afterlife.
The ritual itself was both eerie and straightforward. A piece of bread or a pastry was placed on the corpse—sometimes on the chest, other times near the face—symbolizing the absorption of the deceased’s sins. The sin eater, often a destitute individual willing to endure social scorn for a small payment (typically a few coins or a meal), would then consume the bread and wash it down with ale. This act, while providing a vital service to grieving families, came at a cost: the community viewed sin eaters as spiritually tainted, even dangerous. Many lived in isolation, shunned for their supposed accumulation of evil.
Despite its grim nature, the role of the sin eater highlights how communities sought to reconcile death with spiritual redemption, particularly in Protestant regions where Catholic confession was no longer an option. The last recorded sin eater, Richard Munslow, died in 1906 in Ratlinghope, marking the end of a tradition that, for centuries, had blurred the line between the sacred and the profane.
5.The Groom of the Stool—Wiping Royal Backsides in Medieval Courts
The title “Groom of the Stool” might sound like an unfortunate joke, but in medieval and early modern England, it was one of the most powerful positions in the royal court. This trusted courtier was responsible for assisting the king with his most private needs—specifically, his toileting. While this may seem like a humiliating role, it actually granted unparalleled access to the monarch and came with significant political influence.
Serving as the king’s personal attendant, the Groom of the Stool managed not only the monarch’s chamber pot but also his personal hygiene, including bathing, dressing, and even trimming his nails. The role extended beyond mere physical assistance; the Groom was also entrusted with overseeing the king’s personal finances and managing his private correspondence. Because of this, the position was typically awarded to members of the nobility, ensuring that only the most loyal and well-connected individuals had the king’s ear—sometimes quite literally.
During the Tudor period, the Groom of the Stool wielded extraordinary influence. Under Henry VIII, for example, Sir William Compton and later Sir Anthony Denny held the title, both of whom played key roles in royal decision-making. By the 18th and 19th centuries, the position became more ceremonial, and by the reign of Queen Victoria, it had been abolished altogether. Despite its unglamorous nature, the Groom of the Stool was a position of power—proof that in the royal court, even the most undignified tasks could lead to prestige.
