Food in the Ancient World

John M. Wilkins is Professor of Greek Culture at the University of Exeter. He is the author of Euripides: Heraclidae (1993) and The Boastful Chef: The Discourse of Food in Ancient Greek Comedy (2000) and has edited several books on Greek literature and food in the ancient world. Shaun Hill is Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Exeter. He is chef and former owner of the Michelin-starred Merchant House and works as an independent food writer. His books include Cooking at the Merchant House (2000), How to Cook Better (2004), and Cook (with others, 2005). John Wilkins and Shaun Hill have co-written several books and articles including Archestratus: The Life of Luxury (1994)

John Wilkins is responsible for the chapters and Shaun Hill

for the Introductions and recipes

Figures vii

Preface ix

Timeline xii

Map of the Mediterranean xiv

Introduction 1

1 An Overview of Food in Antiquity 4

Introduction 39

2 The Social Context of Eating 41

Introduction 79

3 Food and Ancient Religion 81

Introduction 110

4 Staple Foods: Cereals and Pulses 112

Introduction 140

5 Meat and Fish 142

Introduction 164

6 Wine and Drinking 166

Introduction 185

7 Food in Ancient Thought 187

Introduction 211

8 Medical Approaches to Food 213

Introduction 245

9 Food in Literature 247

Recipes 277
Bibliography 281
Index 290