Calling in Sick to Party With a God 3200 Years Ago

Exploring the work culture of ancient Egypt and the first recorded labor strike

Remember the last time you called in sick to work?

What was the reason?

I am sure you weren’t feeling well. But let us face it, we all skipped work when we needed a break! Maybe you wanted to take your kids to the amusement park. Or maybe you had a date that couldn’t wait. Perhaps your favorite sports team was in town.

But is skipping work a recent phenomenon? You’ll be surprised to know that over 3,000 years ago, workers in ancient Egypt called in sick! The excuses were sometimes genuine and at other times dubious. Not different from today!

Egyptians had paid employees during a time when slaves performed most of the world’s labor. Calling in sick to work is an ancient practice. Employers maintained attendance records. One such document reveals the explanations given by employees for skipping work. The reasons ranged from being stung by a scorpion to brewing beer.

Let us look at some excuses workers gave for skipping work in ancient Egypt. But before we discuss why people called in sick…