Ancient Roman Food and Farming

[random noises]

(narrator)
Roman food.

Much of the food we eat today in Britain

was first introduced by the Romans.

Before they invaded,

Britain already imported wine
and olive oil.

After joining the empire,

the Romans brought across new foods

that widened the British diet,
including:

vegetables such as carrots, cabbages,

cucumbers, celery, peas and radishes;

fruits like figs, cherries and plums;

fish sauce, a popular import
used in many recipes;

herbs and spices such as rosemary,
coriander, garlic and basil;

grapes for winemaking,

because wine was expensive to import.

Fast food stalls called "thermopolium"

sold hot food to people
to eat on the go.

Agriculture was highly valued
by the Romans.

They learned farming techniques
from other cultures

and were able to enjoy a varied diet.

For breakfast, "ientacilum,"
they ate pancakes

or bread with honey and dates.

Their light lunch, "prandium,"

would include bread, vegetables,

and cold meats or fish.

If you were poor, dinner, "cena,"

would be porridge and vegetables
flavored with herbs.

For the rich, dinner
was often a lavish event

with several courses of exotic food.

Wealthy Romans
ate all sorts of animals and birds:

wild boar, deer, goats,

lambs, hares, dormice, chickens,

geese, pigeons, pheasants,

and even peacocks.

Dinner parties were held
in the dining room, "triclinium."

Guests would lay on couches

around a square table,
eating with their fingers.

Servants wash the guests hands

and even brought in chamber pots

so that they could empty their bladders.

(speaker 1)
Yuck! That's smelly.

(narrator)
Dinner sometimes lasted eight hours,

and according to the writer Seneca,

they would vomit so that they may eat

and eat so that they may vomit.