Roman Food

[acl]

A bit off topic, but I'm looking for examples of food, cooking and eating implements eaten or used by the Roman army in Britain and either imported or introduced from abroad.

Can anyone recommend some reliable books touching on this or, better still, post some examples. It's an area prone to fluffy, anecdotal history, so I would particularly appreciate specific examples eg a shard of imported pottery or an exotic seed found at X or Y military site.

I am especially interested in anything from Wales.

With thanks in anticipation,

Alan

[Jilu]

Hi have you contacted reenactment societies?

they might have all the info you need

[acl]

Hi have you contacted reenactment societies?

they might have all the info you need

That's a really good idea. Can you recommend any that I cd contact?

With thanks,

Alan

[Jilu]

http://www.romanempire.net/romepage/Lin ... groups.htm

check their formun also

[philqw78]

http://www.vicus.org.uk/

[acl]

http://www.romanempire.net/romepage/Lin ... groups.htm

check their formun also

Thank you - this is just what I wanted. I'll ask some of these groups. But if anyone here has an example of imported food (eg from a chapter on catering in a book about the Roman army) I'd appreciate it.

With thanks,

Alan

[acl]

http://www.vicus.org.uk/

This looks just right.

Thanks,

Alan

[Skullzgrinda]

All I can remember is that it was scant on meat, heavy on grain, and barley was issued in lieu of wheat as a punishment. The barley apparently was not very filling and left them hungry. They ate a LOT of bread.

Water was carried in sponges, as field expediant canteens, and that water had a bit of vinegar in it to inhibit bacterial growth. A passing reference to this is in the Gospels of Mathew and Mark, at the crucifixion.

I can't remember where I read this. The information, like the diet, seemed a bit monotonous and quickly passed through.

Best I can do from having read this 30 years ago.

[philqw78]

Of course there was always the:

Larks' tongues; wrens' livers; chaffinch brains ; jaguars' earlobes; wolf's nipple chips, get them while they're hot, they're lovely; dromedary pretzels, only half a dinar; Tuscany fried bats.


This took hours of research and I only persisted 'cos its Friday.

[rbodleyscott]

http://www.romanarmy.net/food.htm

[acl]

http://www.romanarmy.net/food.htm

Thanks everyone who has contributed to this. It has been very helpful.

Alan