Category: Ancient history

According to the Roman writer Pliny the Elder, butter was considered the "choicest food among barbarian tribes," reflecting a widespread Roman prejudice against certain dairy products. The question, 'Did Romans eat dairy?' reveals a complex story, distinguishing between their love for aged cheeses and their surprising disdain for fresh milk and butter.

The diet of people in biblical times was largely shaped by the agricultural landscape and regional customs, relying heavily on seasonal produce. Discover the key staples and cultural practices that defined what was the diet in Bible times, from the food of the average citizen to the meals of the wealthy.

For nearly 99% of human history, hunter-gatherer diets formed the basis of nutrition, emphasizing locally available, unprocessed foods. This ancestral eating approach, often referred to as ancient nutrition, is a growing wellness trend that explores the time-tested dietary wisdom of traditional cultures to inform modern health and well-being.

Long before modern vegetarianism, a 2025 study on Australopithecus fossils revealed our distant hominin ancestors lived almost entirely on a plant-based diet. Beyond these early origins, several ancient civilizations and philosophical movements incorporated meat-free diets for ethical, spiritual, and philosophical reasons.

Ancient Greeks enjoyed a diet based on whole, minimally processed foods, serving as the historical foundation for today's Mediterranean diet. But is the ancient Greek diet healthy by modern standards, or are we romanticizing the past? Its emphasis on fresh produce, legumes, and olive oil offers a compelling case.

Despite the rise in popularity of plant-based diets today, historical evidence overwhelmingly suggests that the ancient Spartans were not vegan. Their diet, renowned for its austerity, included animal products like wild game, fish, cheese, and the infamous blood-based 'black broth'.

According to biblical and historical scholars, Jesus' diet was typical of a Jewish person living in first-century Palestine, relying heavily on local agriculture. This means that while the Bible doesn't offer a complete list, we can deduce what type of fruit did Jesus eat from the available evidence. The most likely fruits to have been part of his diet include figs, grapes, dates, and olives, which were staples of the region.

According to the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, John the Baptist lived in the wilderness on a diet of locusts and wild honey. While this biblical account is well-known, it has prompted debate for centuries about whether the word 'locusts' should be interpreted literally or as a metaphor for something else entirely.

Did you know the word 'diet' first appeared in English during the 13th century, initially meaning a regular allowance of food and drink? This definition, however, vastly oversimplifies its true origins, which trace back to the ancient Greek concept of 'diaita.'

Based on extensive archaeological evidence, it is clear that ancient Egyptians did eat meat, though consumption varied significantly by social class and religious observance. The wealthy regularly enjoyed beef and poultry, while commoners ate meat sparingly, relying more on staples like grains, vegetables, and fish.