The Aromatic Journey

Part 7 of the “Scent and the Roman Empire” Series

The Roman Empire may have fallen, but its scent still lingers.

From sacred temples to perfumed bathhouses, the Romans created a culture of fragrance that was as sophisticated as it was pervasive. But what happened after Rome fell? Did the scents fade into history?

Not quite.

In the centuries that followed, Roman practices were preserved, adapted, and revived. In medieval Europe, monastic communities became the guardians of ancient herbal knowledge. They transcribed Roman and Greek medical texts and prepared aromatic remedies using methods such as steeping herbs and flowers in oils, wine, or vinegar. While true steam distillation was later developed and refined in the Arabic world—most notably by the Persian scholar Avicenna—monks crafted scented herbal waters and tinctures used for healing and spiritual clarity, echoing Rome’s philosophy that scent touched both body and soul.

During the Renaissance, interest in Roman antiquity reawakened. Artists painted bath scenes inspired by Roman frescoes. Apothecaries rediscovered texts by Pliny, Galen, and Dioscorides, reintroducing their botanical wisdom into early pharmacology. Catherine de’ Medici’s court in 16th-century France helped birth modern perfumery—built upon the trade networks and plant knowledge that Rome had once dominated.

Even the idea of personal scent as identity and power, so central to Roman elites, survived and evolved. In Baroque and Enlightenment Europe, perfume was again tied to status, health, and seduction—just as it had been in the empire.

Today, as the world rediscovers natural wellness, aromatherapy, and mindful living, we are, in a way, returning to Rome. The modern essential oil movement borrows heavily from Roman and Greco-Arabic traditions. Whether it’s lavender for sleep, myrrh for the skin, or rose for emotional balance—the recipes are ancient, but the relevance is new.

But there is something Rome did not face that we must: the sustainability of scent.

The Romans never had to worry about deforestation of sandalwood, overharvesting of frankincense, or synthetic fragrance toxicity. Today, ethical sourcing, biotechnology-based scent development, and cultural respect for origin plants have become central to the fragrance industry.

Still, the Roman philosophy of fragrance remains: That scent is not just a luxury, but a language. Not just a product, but a ritual. Not just a smell, but a story.

And that story continues—with us.