11-16-2003, 06:16 AM
Deb,<br>
Of course, Romans used tallow and beeswax in the form of candles and, the first one, as fuel for open lamps too.<br>
Nevertheless, you can only use olive oil in those almost closed beaked lamps (mainly from clay, but bronze and even glass were used in more expensive exemplars. Some of the bronze lucernae are true works of art, hanging from no less elaborated stands!) called lucernae.<br>
Lucernae and olive oil are marks of being a Roman, just as the public baths (termae) were (BTW, olive oil was also employed in the baths) We must not be surprised to find many lamp fragments in cities and military sites, olive oil dealers knew that there were many potential buyers at those places and willingly established commercial channels, no matter how remote corner of the Empire it was!<br>
Soldiers and city inhabitants had money to spend in many triffle and olive oil for lighting or bathing was not the less important, in their opinion.<br>
<br>
Aitor <p></p><i></i>
Of course, Romans used tallow and beeswax in the form of candles and, the first one, as fuel for open lamps too.<br>
Nevertheless, you can only use olive oil in those almost closed beaked lamps (mainly from clay, but bronze and even glass were used in more expensive exemplars. Some of the bronze lucernae are true works of art, hanging from no less elaborated stands!) called lucernae.<br>
Lucernae and olive oil are marks of being a Roman, just as the public baths (termae) were (BTW, olive oil was also employed in the baths) We must not be surprised to find many lamp fragments in cities and military sites, olive oil dealers knew that there were many potential buyers at those places and willingly established commercial channels, no matter how remote corner of the Empire it was!<br>
Soldiers and city inhabitants had money to spend in many triffle and olive oil for lighting or bathing was not the less important, in their opinion.<br>
<br>
Aitor <p></p><i></i>
It\'s all an accident, an accident of hands. Mine, others, all without mind, from one extreme to another, but neither works nor will ever.
Rolf Steiner
Rolf Steiner
