Una professione dimenticata: l’arte della profumeria nelle fonti greche e romane

Research on perfumes in the ancient world has almost completely ignored the preparation techniques and diversification systems of aromatic products. Although archaeological and literary sources attest to the use of perfumes in religious and secular contexts by men and women, actually only three authors shed light on the working methods and preparation rules followed by perfumers: Theophrastus, Apollonius Mys, and Pliny the Elder. Starting from their works, this article investigates the techniques employed in the preparation of aromatic products, also revealing some professional secrets.