Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 August 1893 — Some Mustache History. [ARTICLE]

Some Mustache History.

What is the history of the mustache? In Greece and Gome no mustaches were worn without beards, but in the conquering days of the Roman Empire several half-civilized races, who had come partially under the influence of the Romans, and who wished to be rid of the name of barbari, or wearers of beards, attempted to shave in imitation of their conquerors; but as they had very imperfect implements for the purpose, and as the upper lip is notoriously the hardest part of the face to shave in the case of any one poorly skilled in the art, they were unable to make a clean job of it, and left a quantity of hair on the upper lip. This mark was characteristic of several nations on the confines of Roman civilization; of the Gauls in particular, of the Dacians and some others. See the Roman statue of the Dying Gaul in the Museum of Fine Arts —perhaps the only classical representation of a mustache to be found in that institution. The Latin language has no word for mustache. This barbarous accident was unworthy of the honor of a Roman name.—Boston Transcript