Tag: Ancient history

The ancient Israelite diet was primarily based on what scholars call the Mediterranean triad of grain, wine, and olive oil. To understand what was the diet like in biblical times, one must look beyond these staples to the wider social, seasonal, and religious factors that influenced what people ate.

While the term 'vegan' was officially coined by Donald Watson in 1944 to describe 'non-dairy vegetarians,' the practice of abstaining from all animal products is far older. The philosophical and ethical principles that would later form the basis of veganism can be traced back thousands of years across various cultures and continents.

While the modern image of Roman feasts is one of decadence, the core of their diet was far more humble and based on staples like grains and legumes. The answer to what was the main diet of the Romans lies in a stark contrast between social classes, with the vast majority subsisting on simple, hardy fare.

Genetic research suggests humans developed an increased capacity to digest starches over 800,000 years ago, long before the agricultural revolution. This adaptation provides a crucial clue as to when did humans start eating more carbs and the evolutionary journey of our diet.

Recent archaeological evidence from a 2,000-year-old gladiator cemetery in Ephesus, Turkey, surprisingly indicates that these ancient Roman warriors followed a primarily plant-based regimen, challenging modern perceptions of a meat-centric, 'warrior' meal plan. In reality, understanding what is a gladiator diet reveals a strategic, carb-heavy approach designed for performance and survival in the arena.