Tag: Roman cuisine

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.

While the concept of a morning meal is ancient, evidence suggests organized, daily breakfast for workers emerged in ancient Egypt. This article explores the various historical threads and traditions that lead us to understand where was the first known breakfast.

While archaeological evidence shows that the Roman diet was primarily plant-based, did the ancient Romans eat meat is a question with a complex answer. Meat was a marker of wealth and status, enjoyed frequently by the elite and only occasionally by the poor. This class divide shaped everything from the type of animals consumed to the ways they were prepared.

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.

While often romanticized, the diets of people 2000 years ago were vastly different from modern eating, heavily influenced by geography, social class, and access to resources. A crucial insight into this historical period is understanding what was the diet 2000 years ago for both the wealthy and the poor, from the Mediterranean's olives and grains to the unique fermented sauces of the Roman Empire.