The Function of The Function of Consumption: Dining Consumption: Dining

Differences in the Roman Differences in the Roman worldworld

Brian Conroy Brian Conroy

Prof. Julie Langford-JohnsonProf. Julie Langford-Johnson

HIS 4936HIS 4936

Wealthy vs. Ordinary RomanWealthy vs. Ordinary Roman

All ancient sources told only of upper class All ancient sources told only of upper class dining and nothing of the common mandining and nothing of the common man

Archaeological sources are the main Archaeological sources are the main sources for common diningsources for common dining

Fortunes were squandered on grossly Fortunes were squandered on grossly expensive eating that sometimes led to expensive eating that sometimes led to bankruptcybankruptcy Apicius, lived at the time of Tiberius, spent a Apicius, lived at the time of Tiberius, spent a

million sesterces on food and commited suicide million sesterces on food and commited suicide when he found he only had ten million left in his when he found he only had ten million left in his accountsaccounts

Wealthy vs. Ordinary Roman Wealthy vs. Ordinary Roman (cont.)(cont.)

Lucullus’ hosted Pompey and Cicero Lucullus’ hosted Pompey and Cicero at a dinner that cost approximately at a dinner that cost approximately 200,000 sesterces200,000 sesterces

Early Empire inaugural priestly Early Empire inaugural priestly dinner cost approximately 1 million dinner cost approximately 1 million sestercessesterces

Elegabalus never spent less than Elegabalus never spent less than 100,000 sesterces100,000 sesterces

DietDiet

Shops and markets of Rome supplied by Shops and markets of Rome supplied by markets and gardens of the city, and markets and gardens of the city, and farms of Italy and every provincefarms of Italy and every province

Basis of traditional diet, but not Basis of traditional diet, but not everywhere, were:everywhere, were: Olives: need true Mediterranean climate; Olives: need true Mediterranean climate;

competed with sesame oil in Egypt and Near competed with sesame oil in Egypt and Near EastEast

Cereals: ubiquitous but differed regionally; Cereals: ubiquitous but differed regionally; wheat and barley to oats and ryewheat and barley to oats and rye

Vines (legumes): supplied nutrients where Vines (legumes): supplied nutrients where cereals deficient; lentils, peas, and chickpeascereals deficient; lentils, peas, and chickpeas

Diet (cont.)Diet (cont.)

Commoners meal usually consisted of:Commoners meal usually consisted of: Soup of meal, water, and breadSoup of meal, water, and bread Meat (rarely eaten) was pork; Fish in Meat (rarely eaten) was pork; Fish in

seaside towns and spread later due to seaside towns and spread later due to preservation techniquespreservation techniques

Luxurious/Expensive Roman foods were Luxurious/Expensive Roman foods were Hares, Peacocks, Mullet, Lamprey, Hares, Peacocks, Mullet, Lamprey, FlamingoFlamingo

Expensive foods usually called for exotic Expensive foods usually called for exotic flavorings as well (i.e. pepper)flavorings as well (i.e. pepper)

Diet (cont.)Diet (cont.) Dinner enjoyed by college of Dinner enjoyed by college of pontificespontifices for for

Lentulus upon inauguration as Lentulus upon inauguration as Flamen Flamen MartialisMartialis between 74 and 69 B.C.: between 74 and 69 B.C.: ““For hors d’oeuvres sea urchins, as many raw For hors d’oeuvres sea urchins, as many raw

oysters as they wanted, palourdes, mussels, oysters as they wanted, palourdes, mussels, thrushes under a thatch of asparagus, a fattened thrushes under a thatch of asparagus, a fattened chicken, a patina (pie) of oysters and palourdes, chicken, a patina (pie) of oysters and palourdes, black piddocks, white piddocks. Then more black piddocks, white piddocks. Then more mussels, clams, sea anemones, blackcaps, loin of mussels, clams, sea anemones, blackcaps, loin of roe deer and wild boar, fowls force-fed on roe deer and wild boar, fowls force-fed on wheatmeal…The dinner was udder, the split wheatmeal…The dinner was udder, the split head of a wild boar, patina of fish, patina of head of a wild boar, patina of fish, patina of udder, ducks, roast teal, hares, roast fowl, udder, ducks, roast teal, hares, roast fowl, frumenty, and Picentine loaves (bread).”frumenty, and Picentine loaves (bread).”

Macrobius, Macrobius, SaturnaliaSaturnalia

Types of diningTypes of dining

BreakfastBreakfastBread, cheese, vegetables, leftovers from Bread, cheese, vegetables, leftovers from

night beforenight beforeMidday meal in the Midday meal in the

Thermopolium/tavernsThermopolium/tavernsBread, fried fish, sweets, fruits, sausagesBread, fried fish, sweets, fruits, sausages

Dinner in Triclinium (dining room)Dinner in Triclinium (dining room)Aperitif (akin to cocktail with hors Aperitif (akin to cocktail with hors

d’oeuvres), main dishes of fowl, fish, d’oeuvres), main dishes of fowl, fish, hare), dessert of fruit hare), dessert of fruit

Dinner PartiesDinner Parties Didn’t happen every night; sometimes with family and Didn’t happen every night; sometimes with family and

a few friendsa few friends ConviviumConvivium was “not merely the appreciation of wine was “not merely the appreciation of wine

and food, but the enjoyment of philosophy, literature, and food, but the enjoyment of philosophy, literature, music, and all the arts and entertainment; the music, and all the arts and entertainment; the observation, too of fellow human beings, with the observation, too of fellow human beings, with the flirtations, courtships, friendship, and love that may flirtations, courtships, friendship, and love that may follow.”follow.”

Nine was the target number, though sometimes largerNine was the target number, though sometimes larger Vomitorium was actually a passage behind a tier of Vomitorium was actually a passage behind a tier of

seats in an amphitheatre through which crowds would seats in an amphitheatre through which crowds would leave at the end of a showleave at the end of a show

A very small minority practiced deliberate vomitingA very small minority practiced deliberate vomiting Emetics for vomiting endorsed by doctors in antiquityEmetics for vomiting endorsed by doctors in antiquity

Social Concerns and LevelsSocial Concerns and Levels

Diners were placed in positions of Diners were placed in positions of either “above” or “below” either “above” or “below” companions, according to social companions, according to social status; guest of honor sat in special status; guest of honor sat in special place (consular’s spot)place (consular’s spot)

Host and family were on the Host and family were on the lectus lectus imusimus, while distinguished guest on , while distinguished guest on the the lectus mediuslectus medius

Social Concerns and Levels Social Concerns and Levels (cont.)(cont.)

Status of person compared to others Status of person compared to others shown at dinnershown at dinner

Guests were frequently graded and Guests were frequently graded and given different food, wine, and table given different food, wine, and table ware accordingly if they were minor ware accordingly if they were minor friends, clients, or freedmenfriends, clients, or freedmenExample: a freedman would be given an Example: a freedman would be given an

eel while his host dined on a lampreyeel while his host dined on a lamprey

Social Concerns and Levels Social Concerns and Levels (cont.)(cont.)

Client: social inferiors entertained; social Client: social inferiors entertained; social barriers lowered; host attempts pretence barriers lowered; host attempts pretence of social equalityof social equality

Protégé: prospective recruit into governing Protégé: prospective recruit into governing class invited as dinner guest to meet class invited as dinner guest to meet important people; common practice of important people; common practice of aristocracy to keep social class goingaristocracy to keep social class going

Peer-Group: social equals; could be purely Peer-Group: social equals; could be purely social equals, but highly political occasion social equals, but highly political occasion in Late Republican Romein Late Republican Rome

Social Concerns and Levels Social Concerns and Levels (cont.)(cont.)

WomenWomenRoman women were allowed at Roman women were allowed at

convivium, while a Greek symposium convivium, while a Greek symposium was “No Girls Allowed”was “No Girls Allowed”

Culture Clash: “It is not the Greeks’ Culture Clash: “It is not the Greeks’ custom that women should recline in a custom that women should recline in a convivium of men,” Lampsacene father convivium of men,” Lampsacene father stiffly says when Roman administrator stiffly says when Roman administrator Verres hoped to meet his daughter at Verres hoped to meet his daughter at dinnerdinner

Concerning the EmperorConcerning the Emperor

‘‘The Feast of the Divine Twelve’The Feast of the Divine Twelve’ The Twelve Caesars, The Twelve Caesars, SuetoniusSuetonius

Strengths: Access to Imperial archivesStrengths: Access to Imperial archives Limitations: spiteful letter from M. Antony and Limitations: spiteful letter from M. Antony and

anonymous lampoon; lived after Augustus’ timeanonymous lampoon; lived after Augustus’ time Augustus held banquet with everyone Augustus held banquet with everyone

dressed as a god or goddessdressed as a god or goddess Happened during time of food shortage: Happened during time of food shortage:

“The gods have gobbled all the grain!”“The gods have gobbled all the grain!” Told of Augustus’ fondness not only of Told of Augustus’ fondness not only of

food, but also vices of expensive furniture food, but also vices of expensive furniture (ivory) and gaming(ivory) and gaming

Concerning the Emperor Concerning the Emperor (cont.)(cont.)

On Anger, On Anger, Seneca the YoungerSeneca the Younger Strengths: Lived during last ten years of Augustus’ reign; Strengths: Lived during last ten years of Augustus’ reign;

eyewitness accountseyewitness accounts Limitations: Because of time period, had to write very Limitations: Because of time period, had to write very

carefully about Augustus because memory still fresh to carefully about Augustus because memory still fresh to empireempire

Augustus at dinner with friend V. Pollio, and slave Augustus at dinner with friend V. Pollio, and slave broke a crystal cup and Vedius Pollio ordered him broke a crystal cup and Vedius Pollio ordered him thrown to flesh eating lampreysthrown to flesh eating lampreys

Augustus intervened and was so angry at Pollio that Augustus intervened and was so angry at Pollio that ordered all crystal cups smashed and lamprey pond ordered all crystal cups smashed and lamprey pond filled infilled in

Shows difference years make from vices in ‘Feast of Shows difference years make from vices in ‘Feast of the Divine Twelve’ to conservativism at V. Pollio’sthe Divine Twelve’ to conservativism at V. Pollio’s

Concerning the Emperor Concerning the Emperor (cont.)(cont.)

‘‘A Thank-Offering to the Empeor Augustus A Thank-Offering to the Empeor Augustus Germanicus Domitianus,’ Germanicus Domitianus,’ Silvae, Silvae, StatiusStatius

Strengths: Huge flatterer, court poet, sincere in Strengths: Huge flatterer, court poet, sincere in flatteryflattery

Limitations: Non-aristocratic lineage, outsider Limitations: Non-aristocratic lineage, outsider looking in on aristocracy, writing with anxiety looking in on aristocracy, writing with anxiety during tense period of Domitian’s reignduring tense period of Domitian’s reign

Writing about how stunned he is to be sitting at the Writing about how stunned he is to be sitting at the same dinner table with the emperorsame dinner table with the emperor

The gods smile down upon him and they even toil The gods smile down upon him and they even toil for the good of his armiesfor the good of his armies

Day of his invitation was as bright as when Day of his invitation was as bright as when Domitian crowned his for victory at poetry contestDomitian crowned his for victory at poetry contest