Tag: Ancient roman food

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.

Contrary to the lean, meat-eating ideal often depicted in films, archaeological and historical evidence reveals that Roman gladiators followed a primarily plant-based, high-carbohydrate diet. Nicknamed the *hordearii* or "barley-eaters," their physique was not defined by chiseled muscle, but by a strategically cultivated layer of fat.