Esther Chilton

Last week, I posted about a few unusual laws and customs I’ve come across. If you missed them they’re here. Now for a few more:

• There are lots of stories surrounding ancient Rome. One of these suggests people who were found guilty of killing their fathers were sewn into a sack, along with a rooster, viper and a dog, before being thrown into the river to drown. Another story builds on this, with the suggestion of a snake being added into the mix. I wouldn’t fancy trying to sew that lot in!
• In Atlanta, Georgia, it’s illegal to tie a giraffe to a street light or telephone pole. Spoilsports!
• Peter the Great introduced a beard tax, so long flowing beards were out. So it was the case of a quick shave and no tax – if only it was as easy to avoid paying tax nowadays…