Romans knew rice

Rice was known in ancient times. Ancient Rome imported rice (Oryza sativa) from India, as a luxury product added to dishes or used as a medicine. Mentions of it can be found in texts by authors such as Pliny the Elder, who described rice as a valuable and rare ingredient used for medicinal purposes.

Romans attributed rice with properties that alleviated stomach problems and absorbed excess moisture. It was also an ingredient of some cosmetic preparations used by Roman women for skin care.

Interestingly, archaeologists discovered large rice supplies from the 1st century CE in Roman camps in Germany, proving that the Romans could enrich their diet with this product.