A Roman Stool

Question: During the Roman era, a hairy chest on a man indicated that he was:

1. A virile man
2. An unclean person
3. A member of an elite palace guard known for their bravery

Answer: 2. Yes, it's true. As we know, the Romans, with their brilliant mathematical, engineering minds, developed the first baths - public baths that is. They designed a series of pools each with temperatures hotter than the last. This was so that pores would open and make cleaning easier. The "soap" of choice was really sand. They also used a tool for sloughing off dead skin and as such, any body hair was "sanded" off in the process. Look at the statue of David - completely hairless! So, a hairy chest meant that the person did not bathe, thus it was the mark of an unclean person.