Les banquets dans le monde romain : alimentation et communication

Abstract

Banquets in the Roman World - Alimentation and Communication. The Roman convivium was characterized, on the one hand, by the common forms of communication which principally determine dining in human communities. These forms are situated in the field of tension between the integrative and competitive wishes of the participants whose medium can even be the food itself. On the other hand, Roman banquets were formed by specific historical conditions : Groups dominated by the strong social asymmetries typical for Roman society dined in the material manifestations of the formative Greek symposion culture which was based on equality. This had consequences for important aspects of the sympotic conviviality such as hospitality, culture of conversation or intimacy and spontaneity.