The latrine area was most likely a pay-to-play type enterprise. There were stone seats shaped like toilet seats we use today. It looked like the latrine was a very nicely decorated place with statues and marble all around. However, there was no privacy as you can see. There was a place under the seats for running water, which must have carried the waste down the hill and into the sea. The latrine was amazing in that it was so well constructed. It must have been a very important place in the town, as people understood the need for a sanitary system.
Sanitation is a very important system to have in a city the size of Ephesus. Most latrines were set up so that patrons had a way to wash after they were finished. Some of the Roman sites I’ve visited have described a stick with a sponge attached that was used for personal hygiene.
