Pĭla Mattiăca
A ball of German pomade, employed by the ladies of Rome and young men of fashion to tinge
the hair a light or fair colour. It was composed of goats' tallow and beechwood ashes made up
into a ball, which received its distinguishing epithet from the town of Mattium (Wiesbaden)
from whence it was imported (
Mart.xiv. 27). See
Sapo;
Spuma.