Boy with a Floral Garland in His Hair (ca. 200-230 C.E.) by UnknownBrooklyn Museum
Heal thyself like it’s 100 C.E
No one partied like the ancient Romans. At the height of the Roman empire, not only was wine consumed for pleasure and debauchery, it was also added to water as a means of “purifying” it. Wine was served with every meal, at every feast, and to every guest. Even children would drink it with their meals. So, who better to consult on hangovers than Bacchus’ acolytes, the ancient Romans? Here is how to get over an epic hangover of Classical proportions. Effectiveness not guaranteed…
Wear flowers in your hair
This solution is twofold, because, when you’re feeling worse for wear, it’s good to look nice. Any vague unease or whiff of embarrassment you’re carrying from the night before will vanish according to this ancient Roman remedy of wearing a floral arrangement in your hair.
Boy with a Floral Garland in His Hair, Unknown, ca. 200-230 C.E. (From the collection of Brooklyn Museum)
Entire treatises were devoted to the curative benefits of flowers such as roses and myrtle, whose scents seemingly have the power to remedy a bad mood, and more importantly, a headache. Aromatic flowers were often used to create remedy wreaths with plenty of violet, though to reduce the effects of alcohol. Now this one we can handle.
Bacchic Concert (c. 1625–1630)Dallas Museum of Art
Bacchic Concert, c. 1625–1630 (From the collection of Dallas Museum of Art)
Herbal and flower wreaths were so important that the great naturalist and philosopher, Pliny, dedicated the whole of his twenty-first volumes of ‘Natural History’, his magnum opus, to flowers and plants that were suited to making wreaths.
Wreath of ivy (-670/330)The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Wreath of Ivy (From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art)
Eat the right foods
The modern-day hangover cure of a cola and a cheeseburger pales in comparison to the healing powers of a Roman morning-after fry-up of canary.
Our ancient friends were actually less concerned with curing themselves after a big night than they were with preventing a hangover in the first place. To that end, it was recommended that swallow’s beaks were eaten before getting stuck into the vino. Yes, swallow’s beaks.
If it was left too late and/or the beaks didn’t do the trick, pig offal was a suitable cure. Sheep lungs and owl eggs were also popular. Bon appetit.
Ceres, Bacchus and Venus (c. 1605 - c 1615) by Abraham Janssens van NuyssenBrukenthal National Museum
Ceres, Bacchus and Venus, Abraham Janssensc. 1605 - c 1615 (From the colection of Muzeul Național Brukenthal)
Ingest a toxic soup
One of the ancient Romans’ favorite hangover cures was a nasty-tasting and toxic soup with the plant Oleander as a key ingredient.
Oleander is poisonous in large doses, so the chef who concocted the brew had to make sure that the proportions were just right. Too much and the person with the hangover could... die. The right amount would just make them throw up for a while:
"If a man has taken strong wine and his head is affected ... take licorice, beans, oleander, [with] oil and wine ... in the morning before sunrise and before anyone has kissed him, let him take it and he will recover."
Definitely not one to try at home.
A Roman Feast (late 19th century) by Roberto BompianiThe J. Paul Getty Museum
A Roman Feast, Roberto Bompiani, late 19th century (From the collection of The J. Paul Getty Museum)
Read and have a discussion about it afterwards
Still feeling rough around the edges? If so, it’s time to get lost in a good epic poem. Think you’re having a bad day? It could be worse. Consider Odysseus, this poor guy spent 10 years trying to get home after the Trojan War in Homer’s ‘The Odyssey’. What does this epic poem have to do with getting over a hangover? Well according to Vindanius Anatolius of Beirut - 4th century Greek author who resided in Rome – your best bet is to read ancient texts and then discuss it with those around you. The sobering effects of ancient texts perhaps isn’t one that has made it through to modern times, but luckily neither did fried canary.
Writing exercise in Greek (-0165/-0160) by UnknownRijksmuseum van Oudheden
Writing exercise in Greek, Unknown-0165/-0160 (From the collection of Rijksmuseum van Oudheden)
Cabbage in abundance
According to the ancient Romans and Greeks, cabbage and brussels sprouts are a natural cure for hangovers. Simply eat cabbage to counteract the effects of too much wine.
The wisdom supposedly behind this was that grape vines and cabbage plants were natural “enemies”. In fact, the Romans thought that planting cabbage near a vine would cause the vine to wither, a tradition sometimes still adhered to today.
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Pliny: roasted wild boar lungs, or if you don’t have a wild boar, or ashes of a swallow’s beak mixed with myrrh in your wine would prevent a hangover.
Still hungover? If so, condolences, and here’s to next time, remembering to have a few swallow’s beaks before you start imbibing.
