The first recorded Latin novel isn’t a story of heroism in battle or of virtue, but of excess. The Satyricon, attributed to a first-century-AD figure known as Gaius Petronius, has only three surviving chapters, but an exciting three they are. Petronius tells the tale of three young men, Encolpius, Giton, and Ascyltos, and their adventures… Continue reading A Roman Cena

It’s been a while since I last fixed up a full ancient meal – over two years ago, I made ientaculum, or the Roman breakfast – so I thought it was about time to try another one. For many folks living in Rome, the second meal of the day would have been called prandium. Typically… Continue reading A Roman Prandium

Though it’s Jupiter who Holst named the Bringer of Jollity, it was Saturn who brought the Romans into the streets and taverns. Here, a less gastronomical description of one of the merriest celebrations in classical Rome. Antoine-François Callet’s vision of Saturnalia in 1783, Winter or Saturnalia (L’Hiver ou les Saturnales), the Louvre. The air of… Continue reading Saturnalia: The World Turned Upside Down

As I’ve tried out some more classical recipes, I decided it would be fun to reconstruct a Roman breakfast, or ientaculum. For inspiration, I had to turn to the ancients. From what I found, this meal was rather light, taken after waking up to break the night’s fast. The physician Galen evidently refers to fruits… Continue reading A Roman Ientaculum

Roman cooks used a wide variety of utensils and appliances to prepare their meals. Here is an introduction to some of the items you would have seen in a kitchen during the republic. A well-preserved Roman focus from the site of Augusta Raurica, Switzerland. Much like how the contents of meals varied based on wealth… Continue reading Patinas, Pots, and Pestles: Roman Cookware