Roman Babies Sipped Wine
Ancient Roman parents sometimes dipped a cloth in wine and let their babies suck on it to soothe them.
Unknown — "Chalcedony intaglio: Head of Jupiter Ammon" (1st–3rd century CE), public domain
Wine-Soaked Pacifiers for Babies
Ancient Roman mothers sometimes dipped a soft cloth in wine and let their babies suck on it. The wine acted as a quick-and-dirty sedative for teething pain or restless nights.
Doctors Knew, But No One Stopped It
Roman medical writers like Soranus and Galen actually mention this trick. Soranus worried it was dangerous but admitted it worked. For centuries, Roman babies fell asleep with the taste of wine on their tongues.
Medical texts from Galen and Soranus mention this practice—wine as a pacifier, straight to the mouth of a fussy infant. Soranus, the go-to Roman pediatrician, worried about its effects but couldn’t keep it from happening: wine calmed, dulled pain, and helped children sleep. Naptime with a splash of alcohol was business as usual.
