Emperor Nero’s perfume revived for İzmir Culture Road Festival

İZMİR

A unique perfume inspired by Emperor Nero has been recreated by a renowned fragrance expert and her team and will be showcased at the İzmir Culture Road Festival from Oct. 25 to Nov. 3 alongside other historical perfumes which will offer visitors a sensory journey through time.

Perfume designer Bihter Türkan Ergül is known for reviving the scents of historical figures from the Sumerians to Hürrem Sultan, the wife of Ottoman Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent.

Her latest work focuses on recreating the scent associated with the infamous Roman Emperor Nero.

The rose-based fragrance will be part of the exhibition at the İzmir Culture Road Festival, where visitors can explore a collection of perfumes inspired by different eras and civilizations.

Ergül’s dedication to preserving history is evident through her meticulous research, which delves into ancient texts and artifacts to reproduce fragrances from the past.

“It is among the information that has survived from history that Emperor Nero, who made history by burning Rome, was a fragrance enthusiast and therefore had incense burned in the censer,” said Ergül, adding that they examined the sediments in the remains of that period to reach Roman-era fragrances.

“According to the information we found in the records, Nero's favorite scent was rose. Rose is followed by saffron flower, quince flower, Indian hyacinth and myrrh safi. We are designing Nero's fragrance by evaluating this information.”

The team also studied the sediment in remnants from the Roman era to understand the original composition of these fragrances.

Nero had his servants rub his body with specially prepared fragrances daily, according to Ergül’s research. “In Nero's palace, there were even special servants to rub scented oils on his animals,” she said.

In the first century B.C., the Roman Empire’s robust trade networks facilitated the widespread use of scented oils, making perfumes more accessible.

“During this period, the most sought-after scent was called 'rhodium'. This mixture, carefully prepared from selected roses, is associated with the reign of Emperor Nero. Another fragrance made from Roman roses was 'foliatum.' This mixture was a lighter scent than rhodium,” Ergül said.

The exhibition will also feature scents from other civilizations such as the Sumerians, Babylonians and Assyrians, who played a significant role in the history of fragrance production.

The Sumerians primarily used saffron and rose, while Assyrians cherished lily perfumes, a key element in their royal traditions.