The Roman army and farm families did plenty of hard physical labor, so they needed lots of calories.
When I went through Airborne training in the mid-70s, I ate at least 7,500 calories a day, was in top physical condition, and certainly did not put on any weight.
For most people, a low carb diet works best, if you need to lose or maintain a desireable weight.
When he was earning gold medals, Michael Phelps would scarf down 12,000 calories - mostly from carbohydrates - every day he was in training. Some here claim that this makes him unhealthy and ensures a life riddled with disease. It's all nonsense.
For most people, a low carb diet works best, if you need to lose or maintain a desireable weight.
Given the availability of carbs in our food supply today, for most people, a low carb diet simply results in a low(er) calorie diet.