Vomiting during feast was not routine

The custom of vomiting (by skilfully manipulating a feather or a slave’s finger) during Roman feasts, although mentioned in various sources, almost always applies to only a few Roman emperors (Vitellius, Claudius, Nero; the latter helped himself with enemas); the other thing is that we know less about the figures of the lower class – few of them have their own biographies.

The slogan vomunt ut edant, edunt ut vomant! (“vomit to eat, eat to vomit!”) Did not accompany the dinners consumed on a daily basis by the Roman bourgeoisie.

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