What Romans ate and how much they ate of it. Old and new research on eating habits and dietary proportions in classical antiquity

Abstract

This article reviews the current state of affairs regarding our knowledge on eating habits and dietary proportions in the Roman world. The narrative is centred on the main components of the ancient diet : cereals, wine, olive oil, meat, fish, vegetables, fruits and pulses. Focal points in the discussion are food types and calories. The author integrates literature, archaeology and natural sciences, and devotes particular attention to the possibilities and constraints of our datasets. What emerges is a complicated picture in which it remains difficult to answer basic questions and to identify general patterns. By offering a series of thinking tools, however, the article provides a new framework for researchers to increase our understanding of the classical diet in the future.