Betweem the cradle and the grave lies a haircut and a shave.
– Samuel Hoffenstein (1890 – 1947)
Russian- American Author and composer
Scipio Africanus
Apparently around 296 B.C., when a young man reached the age of 21, he was ready to shave. The first shave was a great celebration and a time to party, a ritual party that is, where friends were invited. The hair from the first shave was then given as an offering to the man’s favourite god – they had many.
Being clean-shaven became the de rigueur at around 202 BC. It was popularised by the clean-shaven Scipio Africanus after returning from his battle against the Carthage warrior, Hannibal. With Scipio’s 30,000 men they tactically defeated the 50,000 strong men of Hannibal. He became a hero in the Roman world and his clean-shaven appearance became a fashion statement that swept the city.