A Day in The Life of Ancient Romans

As the saying goes.
“when in Rome……..”.. The Ancient Roman Empire was an
intimidating force, yet the cuisine left much to be desired by modern
standards. The Ancient Romans developed from a small agricultural
village and kept frugal habits. Great changes in gastronomy occurred
with the first conquests, specifically with the Magna Grecia, which
was located on the coastal ares of  Southern Italy.

Food was originally
focused around eggs, milk, and cheeses as fundamental items and
yogurt existed but wasn’t comparable to modern versions. As the
Empire grew, food culture shifted as the three daily meals were
altered to fit changing lifestyles. At sunrise, poor families and
daily laborers consumed a hasty breakfast of leftovers, usually
cheese, olives, fresh milk, mini -focaccia type breads, and bread and
honey. The midday meal was bought from street stalls, although one of
these meals was usually skipped and taverns or street vendors were
popular choices for supper.

Street vendors
sold olives, fish in brine, and pieces of roast meat or spit-roasted
birds. They also sold octopus in tomato sauce, fruit, desserts and
cheese, although a poor man’s meal generally consisted of bread and
small fish in brine served with water or low-quality wine. In lower
strata of society, the old routine was preserved because it
corresponded more closely to daily rhythms of manual labor.

Members of the
upper class scheduled business obligations in the mornings, so they
could visit the thermal baths after lunch. Friends and acquaintances
at the baths were invited to others’ banquets, which started around
4 o’clock and could last well into the night.

Meat was introduced
with urbanization and pork meat was the most widely used. Wealthier
citizens of Ancient Rome preferred peacock, dormouse, flamingos,
pheasant, duck and large or small sized wild game meat such as wild
boar and hare. Sheep meat, goat meat, and chicken were considered low
grade and only eaten by the poor, while beef was not eaten at all
because oxen were used as field labor.

Fish was usually
served with boiled vegetables, meat, or liver, and the most common
fish served were mullet, sole, and pike. Although fish was
originally eaten during times of famine, it became regarded as a
special dish and 150 different species were known by the Ancient
Romans. Lobsters, cuttlefish, squid, octopus, date mussels, frogs,
prawns, and oysters were also popular staples in Roman dishes.
Asparagus, mushrooms, lettuce, artichokes, and cucumbers were used to
complement most fish and meat dishes at the banquets.

As food preservation was still
relatively obscure, sauces were used in most dishes because it was
believed that cooked food lost its original flavor, and meat was
always cooked twice. Fruit and fruit sauces were used on meat dishes
and another popular sauce was known as “liqaumen” which was a
mixture of macerated fish entrails in salt with wine, oil, vinegar,
and pepper. Saffron, pepper, and ginger were also indispensable
spices in the Roman gastronomy.

During the Roman Empire more then a
100 servings could be consumed at a single banquet and the banquets
were the central aspects of daily life for wealthier citizens.
Although cultural tastes and habits have evolved over the centuries,
the Romans passed on the wonderful social aspects of enjoying savory
food surrounded by good friends,