{"id":60643,"date":"2020-03-23T12:36:12","date_gmt":"2020-03-23T11:36:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/?post_type=ciekawostki&p=60643"},"modified":"2025-09-16T23:50:17","modified_gmt":"2025-09-16T21:50:17","slug":"bucellatum-roman-biscuit","status":"publish","type":"ciekawostki","link":"https:\/\/imperiumromanum.pl\/en\/curiosities\/bucellatum-roman-biscuit\/","title":{"rendered":"Bucellatum – Roman biscuit"},"content":{"rendered":"

The late-Roman Codex Theodosianus<\/em>, which is a collection of Roman laws, mentions that a Roman soldier should be equipped with a buccellatum ac panem, vinum quoque atque acetum, sed et laridum, carnem verbecinam<\/em>, or “hardtack and bread, wine too and vinegar, but also bacon and mutton”(VII.4.6). Hardtack, vinegar and mutton were to be enough for two days, and then the soldier was to use bread, wine and bacon.<\/p>\n

Hardtack (bucellatum<\/em>) was a simple cookie made of flour, salt and water, of high hardness, baked twice at low temperature for a long time, so as to be sure that no moisture will get inside. Such food<\/a> was ideal in the army<\/a>, where adverse weather conditions could be expected. From the name of the biscuit comes even the used term bucellarii. <\/em> <\/p>\n

Bucellatum<\/em> was eaten dry, dipping in wine posca –<\/em> a popular Greek-Roman drink mixed with wine, vinegar, water and herbs<\/a> – or stew.<\/p>\n

To prepare a Roman rusks you will need:<\/p>\n