Food

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Summary: This page explores the types of food the people of Ancient Rome liked to eat and cook.  Food, a part of everyday life, is necessary for survival. For the people of Ancient Rome, it was no different. In fact, they really liked their type of food, which was centered around a Mediterranean-style cooking. [|Their diets] included things like corn, grains, oil, and wine. Corn and grains were a staple food, meaning it was the main food for them. For the common people, they ate ancient “cereal” in the form of porridge made from husked wheat. Bread was the next most-often-eaten food in Ancient Rome. They ate it with honey, cheese, sausages, domestic fowl (birds), eggs, fish, or shellfish. They also had a      variety of seafood because of their proximity to the ocean. They had different types of fish and oysters. <span style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 36);"><span style="background-color: rgb(7, 119, 228);"><span style="background-color: rgb(8, 113, 226);"><span style="background-color: rgb(4, 126, 215);"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"><span style="color: rgb(19, 209, 241); background-color: rgb(13, 113, 201);">DELICACIES AND VEGETABLES: <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 36);"><span style="background-color: rgb(7, 119, 228);"><span style="background-color: rgb(8, 113, 226);"><span style="background-color: rgb(4, 126, 215);"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"><span style="color: rgb(19, 209, 241); background-color: rgb(13, 113, 201);"> Delicacies included snails and “dormice”, a small rodent. These “dormice” were specially bred for the wealthy. Desserts were another delicious part of the Roman diet. They had a considerable amount of cakes, pastries, and tarts. These were baked both at home and in markets. Honey was also used to sweeten them. <span style="color: rgb(19, 209, 241); background-color: rgb(13, 113, 201);"> <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"><span style="color: rgb(19, 209, 241); background-color: rgb(13, 113, 201);">     <span style="background-color: rgb(7, 119, 228);"><span style="background-color: rgb(8, 113, 226);"><span style="background-color: rgb(4, 126, 215);"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"><span style="color: rgb(19, 209, 241); background-color: rgb(13, 113, 201);">      <span style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 36);"><span style="background-color: rgb(7, 119, 228);"><span style="background-color: rgb(8, 113, 226);"><span style="background-color: rgb(4, 126, 215);"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"><span style="color: rgb(19, 209, 241); background-color: rgb(13, 113, 201);">      <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 36);"><span style="background-color: rgb(7, 119, 228);"><span style="background-color: rgb(8, 113, 226);"><span style="background-color: rgb(4, 126, 215);"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"><span style="color: rgb(19, 209, 241); background-color: rgb(13, 113, 201);">        <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 36);"><span style="background-color: rgb(7, 119, 228);"><span style="background-color: rgb(8, 113, 226);"><span style="background-color: rgb(4, 126, 215);"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"><span style="color: rgb(19, 209, 241); background-color: rgb(13, 113, 201);">Vegetables, another sure source of food, were mostly imported. They had cabbage, parsnips, lettuce, asparagus, onions, garlic, marrows, radishes, lentils, beans, and beats. They also had spices and herbs, which were popular for cooking and flavoring food. <span style="color: rgb(19, 209, 241); background-color: rgb(13, 113, 201);"> <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"><span style="color: rgb(19, 209, 241); background-color: rgb(13, 113, 201);">     <span style="background-color: rgb(7, 119, 228);"><span style="background-color: rgb(8, 113, 226);"><span style="background-color: rgb(4, 126, 215);"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"><span style="color: rgb(19, 209, 241); background-color: rgb(13, 113, 201);">      <span style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 36);"><span style="background-color: rgb(7, 119, 228);"><span style="background-color: rgb(8, 113, 226);"><span style="background-color: rgb(4, 126, 215);"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"><span style="color: rgb(19, 209, 241); background-color: rgb(13, 113, 201);">      <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 36);"><span style="background-color: rgb(7, 119, 228);"><span style="background-color: rgb(8, 113, 226);"><span style="background-color: rgb(4, 126, 215);"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"><span style="color: rgb(19, 209, 241); background-color: rgb(13, 113, 201);">        <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 36);"><span style="background-color: rgb(7, 119, 228);"><span style="background-color: rgb(8, 113, 226);"><span style="background-color: rgb(4, 126, 215);"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"><span style="color: rgb(19, 209, 241); background-color: rgb(13, 113, 201);">An interesting fact was that milk was considered to be barbaric. It usually came from sheep or goats. Instead of drinking it straight, they used it to make cheese and medicines. Wine was liked very much by the Romans, but was also considered barbaric when drunken straight. They watered it down and spiced it and heated it before daring to take a sip. The poor would take a liquid similar to vinegar and water it down. They used this as their “wine”. <span style="color: rgb(19, 209, 241); background-color: rgb(13, 113, 201);"> <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"><span style="color: rgb(19, 209, 241); background-color: rgb(13, 113, 201);">     <span style="background-color: rgb(7, 119, 228);"><span style="background-color: rgb(8, 113, 226);"><span style="background-color: rgb(4, 126, 215);"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"><span style="color: rgb(19, 209, 241); background-color: rgb(13, 113, 201);">      <span style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 36);"><span style="background-color: rgb(7, 119, 228);"><span style="background-color: rgb(8, 113, 226);"><span style="background-color: rgb(4, 126, 215);"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"><span style="color: rgb(19, 209, 241); background-color: rgb(13, 113, 201);">      <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 36);"><span style="background-color: rgb(7, 119, 228);"><span style="background-color: rgb(8, 113, 226);"><span style="background-color: rgb(4, 126, 215);"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"><span style="color: rgb(19, 209, 241); background-color: rgb(13, 113, 201);">        <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 36);"><span style="background-color: rgb(7, 119, 228);"><span style="background-color: rgb(8, 113, 226);"><span style="background-color: rgb(4, 126, 215);"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"><span style="color: rgb(19, 209, 241); background-color: rgb(13, 113, 201);">All this knowledge about what they ate came from archeological evidence and paintings. (SPQR Online) <span style="background-color: rgb(4, 87, 169);"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"><span style="background-color: rgb(12, 135, 223);"><span style="color: rgb(41, 199, 245); background-color: rgb(16, 111, 198);">GREEK BANQUETS AND PLACES THEY EAT: <span style="background-color: rgb(4, 87, 169);"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"><span style="background-color: rgb(12, 135, 223);"><span style="color: rgb(41, 199, 245); background-color: rgb(16, 111, 198);"> There were Greek banquets, which were formal meals or feasts. Banquets were attended by the upper classes and the wealthy. They exchanged ideas or just “displayed their wealth” (Moulton, 94). Other delicacies included asparagus mussels, deer, and boar ribs. The boar’s head was eaten for the main meal, along with fish pies, boiled ducks and hares, and roasted chicken   <span style="color: rgb(41, 199, 245); background-color: rgb(16, 111, 198);">. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"> <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"> <span style="background-color: rgb(7, 105, 197);"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive; color: rgb(14, 196, 241); background-color: rgb(13, 115, 201);">According to  <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"> “ <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;">[|historylearningsite.co.uk] <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;">”, <span style="background-color: rgb(6, 105, 224);"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"><span style="color: rgb(27, 212, 243); background-color: rgb(21, 111, 198);">Romans enjoyed showing off their wealth, and if a large banquet was hosted, it would boost that family’s social standing. Roast peacock and ostriches were another delicacy and an expensive food. Breakfast was eaten in the master’s bedroom. Dinner was considered “the main meal of the day”. <span style="color: rgb(27, 212, 243); background-color: rgb(21, 111, 198);"> <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"><span style="color: rgb(27, 212, 243); background-color: rgb(21, 111, 198);">  <span style="background-color: rgb(6, 105, 224);"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"><span style="color: rgb(27, 212, 243); background-color: rgb(21, 111, 198);">    <span style="background-color: rgb(6, 105, 224);"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"><span style="color: rgb(27, 212, 243); background-color: rgb(21, 111, 198);">Basically, the Romans were very fond of their food, enjoyed large meals, and had a wide variety that would satisfy everybody’s taste. (Trueman)



Sources Cited: >
 * 1) Moulton, Carroll. "Banquets."Ancient Greece and Rome  . 1st ed. 1998.
 * 2) Thinkquest Team, "Daily Life - Roman Cuisine ."  SPQR Online  . 1998. 2 Dec 2008 <http://library.thinkquest.org/26602/diet.htm>.
 * 3) Trueman, Chris. “Roman Food.” //History Learning Site//. 2000. http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/roman_food.htm. (accessed 2 December 2008)
 * 4) "Ancient Roman Food Today ."  Delicious Italy  . 2000. Mondoweb. 3 Dec 2008 <http://www.deliciousitaly.com/prodotto.php?id=76&regione_id=7>.
 * 5) "Photo Friday: Keep the Rome Fires Burning."  eternally cool. WordPress. 3 Dec 2008 <http://eternallycool.net/2008/09/photo-friday-keep-the-rome-fires-burning/>.
 * 6) "Ancient Dinner on our last evening in Rome."  The Big Day  . May 2001. 3 Dec 2008 <http://www.thebigday.com/ViewSharedActivity.asp?itemorder=19&list=90428&ii=15&dest=Italy>.

- Audeline Kurniawan -