Beyond cleaning clothes and leather making, the urine of both humans and animals was used as a teeth whitener (via Mental Floss). That's right — the Ancient Romans believed it kept their smile pearly white and would rinse with it. In fact, urine was so cherished that it became taxed. Around A.D. 70, Emperor Vespasian imposed a tax on the collection of urine from Roman sewage systems (per Lessons from History). Likewise, he is said to have built the first public toilet, and many urinals in Europe are still named after him.
According to Medimatic, it was mostly launderers and tanners who were paying this tax, as they were the biggest buyers of urine. Most Roman citizens were not a fan of it, including Vespasian's own son, Titus (via National Geographic). Vespasian's response? "Pecunia non olet," Latin for "money doesn't stink." In other words, money is money, regardless of its origins. It's said that the Roman Colosseum was financed, in part, from this urine tax. Per Smithsonian Magazine, urine is still used today but for different reasons, including as a source of electrical power and in various medicines. It's safe to say the Ancient Romans were definitely on to something.
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