Curiosities of ancient Rome (Food)

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Food is a collection of interesting facts about the diet, foods, and culinary customs of ancient Rome. This category includes lesser-known facts and interesting information about Roman dishes, ingredients, meal organization, and dietary differences between the different social classes of the Roman Empire.

Dormouse – furry snack for rich

The gray dormouse (Glis glis) is a rodent similar in size to a rat, found throughout almost all of Europe. The ancient Romans valued it for its meat – initially, they only hunted it, but…Więcej

Lettuce – Roman way to sleep

Today, lettuce is a light appetizer or side dish, but for the ancient Romans it was much more functional. They considered it a medicinal plant — especially helpful for sleep and digestion problems. Roman physicians…Więcej

Frumentatio – distribution of grain in ancient Rome

Frumentatio was one of the most important food distribution programs in ancient Rome, which played a key role in ensuring the social and political stability of the empire. It consisted of distributing free or subsidized…Więcej

“On the Subject of Cooking” by Apicius – work of ancient master of culinary art

Antiquity is associated primarily with great philosophers, warriors and architecture, but one of the most interesting aspects of ancient life is culinary art. Among the preserved works of ancient Rome, a special place is held…Więcej

Olive oil – golden treasure of ancient Rome

Olive oil was not only a key product in the daily life of ancient Romans, but also a symbol of status, wealth and civilization. Its use went far beyond cooking – in Rome, olive oil…Więcej

Roman mămăligă

One of the founding myths of the Romanian nation is its direct descent from those conquered by the Romans in the 1st century CE Dacians. To what extent is this true? An alternative theory is…Więcej

Crocus de Nîmes recipe

Original antic Roman recipe for the Crocus of Nîmes. Ingredients 1/2 Pélardon, cut horizontally, 2 slices of wholemeal bread or sandwich bread, 1 or 2 teaspoons (depending on taste) of green tapenade (preferably Picholine), a…Więcej

Flower bulbs – delicacy in ancient times

In ancient times, flower bulbs were widely used as medicine and an aphrodisiac. Interestingly, ancient people also often ate them; however, it was a delicacy of the upper classes. The most popular was sea onion,…Więcej

Partridges in world of Romans

Ancient Romans valued partridge meat very much. The partridge was an expensive bird, however. Martial mentions it in his “Epigrams”, which says that only the rich could afford them. Interestingly, however, preserved eggshells were found…Więcej

Pears in Roman cuisine

Pears were known and used in ancient Rome. Pliny the Elder states that there were 41 known varieties of pear, each of which had a different taste, appearance and name. They were known, for example…Więcej

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