The 10 Worst Jobs in History - How History Works

Jobs have been a part of human history ever since we drew straws to see who was a hunter and who was a gatherer. But not all jobs are created equal. Not in work, pay or conditions. And considering how many jobs depend on the technology and society around them, there are bound to be some nasty careers that have been swept under the rug of history.
Today, you may think that your 9-5 is bad. Sure, getting yelled at by your boss for misaligning a logo on a powerpoint is bad, but I have some news for you. Your job, compared to some of the jobs of the past, is a luxury. I’m talking not only your working conditions, I’m talking about pay, work-life balance, and job satisfaction
We are lucky to live in these times, and future generations could be saying the same about us in hundreds of years. So it’s time to learn How History Works as we remind ourselves how lucky we are today by counting down the top ten worst jobs in human history. That way you’ll be more thankful for your own daily grind
10 Nomenclator
Let’s start with something that’s not gross or dirty but is tedious to the point of downright torture. A nomenclator was the name given to the person on the side of an elite and they were responsible for remembering the names of important people at social events in ancient Europe.
At first, glance, going to swanky parties and schmoozing with the upper crusts of Roman society sounds pretty easy. But the nomenclator was not only responsible for remembering the guest list but also for recalling the intricate details of each person's life, like their family tree, hobbies, and political views.
Imagine trying to remember the name of a Roman Senators third cousin twice removed while trying to keep track of the 100 other important people in the room. Add to that the fact that your payment, and possibly your life, depended on becoming a walking, talking Wikipedia article and suddenly the necessity to store all that small talk in your head becomes a high-pressure job.
But with such a balancing act it's no wonder that nomenclators were highly respected members of society.
SOURCES
1. www.nancy.cc/2017/03/23/nomen...
2. art19.com/shows/merriam-webst...
3. www.britannica.com/technology...
4. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galley_...
5. english.elpais.com/elpais/201...
6. www.nonfictionminute.org/the-...
7. allthatsinteresting.com/gong-...
8. historicengland.org.uk/images...
9. www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK...
10. www.historyextra.com/period/t...
11. www.tudorsociety.com/groom-st...
12. www.atlasobscura.com/articles....
13. www.ancient-origins.net/weird...
14. historycollection.com/sin-eat...
15. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punkah
16. www.amusingplanet.com/2019/09...
17. servantspasts.wordpress.com/2...
18. theconversation.com/meet-the-...
19. www.rcseng.ac.uk/library-and-...
20. blackstockleather.com/history...
21. www.maharam.com/stories/barbe...
22. www.thevintagenews.com/2018/0...
23. www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK...
24. www.worldhistory.org/article/...
25. woolwinding.wordpress.com/201...
26. www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK....
27. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_sn...
28. www.ed.ac.uk/medicine-vet-med....
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[@cchutney348]

You know shit is for real when galley slaves are number four.

[@patrickbueno3279]

Eh, most of his list aren't even that bad.

[@surfergurlzrock]

Dishonorable mention: dial painters of watches in the early 1920s during the era of Radium paint. Lip pointing brushes to get them fine enough to paint numbers meant that they would have ingested small amounts of radium with every single stroke of the brush. All of these women ended up dying horrible deaths due to radiation poisoning, actually mirroring the symptoms of phossy jaw in most cases cause of the method of radiation exposure. Great vid.

[@lifeisshort.9869]

Yeah I saw the pictures, I wish I didn't.

[@danielhale1]

Honestly, there's so many worse jobs. Miner and peasant infantry don't make the cut? Their jobs were horrific.

[@the11382]

Don't forget about jobs done by children. I'm glad we have child labor laws.

[@alpmarangoz]

What is the deal with the numbers in brackets coming up?

[@weidergonga2997]

Those are sources

[@victoriousness]

How is matchmaker not #1? Lower jaw amputation sounds absolutely horrifying.

[@user-nu8in3ey8c]

I think the Galley slave is still probably the most unpleasant and brutal, during the period where they were kept as galley slaves for their entire lives. It is right up there with the matchmaker one I think. Those two seem like top competitors for the number one spot as worst career.

[@Septimus_ii]

Remember that many of these worst jobs were chosen over remaining a subsistence farmer, something that hundreds of millions of people are still stuck in to this day

[@gray3589]

Ye, they coulda just chosen the default job of the time....

[@luisfilipe2023]

Better to be a subsistence farmer then any of these

[@faiq026]

No, people who didn't do the farming possibly don't have the land. You're lucky if you born to a family with big patch of lands, not just any land but those who strategically placed in a good irrigation and road for the ease of logistics, that if you don't have to get involved into a fierce fight with your siblings to get your parent's heritage

[@TheBeriney]

And the real reason these jobs don't exist anymore? Technology, and Unions. We'd all still be in the coal mines 14 hours a day if it wasn't for unions.

[@cupidsfavouritecherub9327]

Man I am so glad I was born in the 21st century

[@luisfilipe2023]

Me too

[@ryanrigley]

I thought salt miner would be the worst job.

[@scuttlebum]

Love the "Perfume" reference

[@patriciaa4451]

Nomenclator was like Gary from 'Veep'.

[@mattcollins4550]

Mike Rowe is calling.... and I made the mistake of watching this while eating breakfast

[@earthsteward9]

Groom of the stool had a crappy job

[@RobVI]

Why did I think dating coach when he said match maker

[@vincentmiller420]

The Nomenclators Job still exists actually.

[@zaco-km3su]

I can tell you that galley rowers were not slaves at least quite often.

[@boowiebear]

Source references are distracting.

[@sourabhmayekar3354]

Wow

[@behrensf84]

Groom of the stool sucked…

[@maybe8650]

Puddle furnace worker? Brakeman? Dude do some research it works with you’re other channel

[@maybe8650]

@@bill_the_butcher but clearly not enough