What Archeology Reveals About Fast Food in the Roman Empire 🐟 | Life in Ancient Times w/ ‪@DariusArya‬

YouTube ^ | March 4, 2025 | PBS

[SunkenCiv]

Explore the concept of fast food in ancient Rome, focusing on the thermopolia—small bars and eateries that catered to busy city dwellers. These establishments were especially important for those who didn’t have kitchens at home, offering pre-prepared food like grilled meats, vegetables, cheese, and even heated wine. The thermopolia were found near busy urban areas like the forum and the baths, providing a quick and affordable dining experience for Romans on the go. 

We visit Ostia Antica, the port city of Rome, where frescoes still depict typical menu items, such as olives, eggs, and cheese. These establishments also featured large jars of wine, grills, and sometimes patios for customers to relax while enjoying their meals. Fast food joints in ancient Rome were fun, quick, and cheap, similar to modern street food. 

What Archeology Reveals About Fast Food in the Roman Empire 🐟 
Life in Ancient Times w/ ‪@DariusArya‬ | 8:58 
PBS | 1.56M subscribers | 49,177 views | March 4, 2025

 

Guest guide CIAO BELLA with Erica Firpo

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TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: dariusarya; dietandcuisine; fastfood; food; godsgravesglyphs; romanempire; rome; sunkenciv

[SunkenCiv]

 

What did the Ancient Romans eat? | 37:07 
Historical Adventure | 25.5K subscribers | 490,770 views | March 1, 2024

00:00 - 01:28 Introduction
01:29 - 07:40 Meals, Cooking & Taverns
07:41 - 12:44 Cereals
12:45 - 13:22 Legumes
13:23 - 15:40 Vegetables
15:41 - 21:18 Meat
21:19 - 24:06 Eggs & Dairy
24:07 - 27:40 Seafood
27:41 - 29:04 Olives & Olive Oil
29:05 - 32:25 Herbs & Spices
32:26 - 35:13 Fruits & Nuts
35:14 - 37:07 Sweets

fast food in the roman empire YouTube search

[SunkenCiv]

[decal]

“OVER MDCLXVI SOLD”

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Bread and circuses requires portable bread.

[Joe 6-pack]

The BBC "Supersizers Go..." are excellent studies of foods and dining habits in various periods of English history.

Here's the episode from the Roman Britain era:

The Supersizers Eat... Ancient Rome

[frank ballenger]

Good one.

Near it is the commemorative stele with the inscription:
Site of the first death in a fight over the number of sauce packets to a customer. Three dead.

[frank ballenger]

Matzoh could count as the bread dough had no time to rise.

[decal]

Unless the sauce is garum...

[irishjuggler]

Everything tastes better doused in garum...

[datricker]

The roman state provided sacks of grains to the common folks at the coliseum and there were businesses that would run it through the mill stone for them. If you ever go to Roman get a good guide for the forum and coliseum you will learn so much more then just wandering around. I found it fascinating

[central_va]

Was there a chariot drive thru?

[frank ballenger]

Had to look it up. Fermented fish and stuff.

Must smell as bad as it tastes.

Woman to boyfriend: What’s that smell of garum on your breath? Have you been sneaking around to see that camel tender Crameria? Her innocent look never fooled me.

[frank ballenger]

They were closed down. Too many wise guys raced past the pay window without dropping coins and grabbed the bags of food at the pickup window and were gone in twenty seconds.

[Celtic Conservative]

I am aware of the fact that fish sauces exist all around the world. But the sound of it is off-putting to me. The only experience I’ve had with it is dashi, which is ok, but I’m not in love with it.

CC

[EvilCapitalist]

Wasn’t this covered in Life of Brian? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5ofIBw3uMM

[Larry Lucido]

[gnarledmaw]

Not very fishy at all.

Have you tried Vietnamese fish sauces? These are similar.

Not really any fish. Taste is 60% salt, 30% cheese, 5% wine, and the other 5% a mixture of things you cant put your finger on.

Maine has a brand of garum now made from eels. I havent tried this one yet, maybe you should give it a try?

[SunkenCiv]

Ancient Roman Garum Revisited
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICZww0DtQKk

[SunkenCiv]

Thx.

Don Brothwell and Patricia Brothwell co-authored Food in Antiquity: A Survey of the Diet of Early Peoples, gotta love that surname.

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/food-in-antiquity-a-survey-of-the-diet-of-early-peoples_patricia-brothwell_don-brothwell/1463594/

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

The making of it was foul but once it was finished and strained it was tasty and the aroma was light.

As with anything, over indulgence could lead to problems.