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

[Jamestown1630]

Worcestershire sauce is fermented fish sauce; so is the fish sauce used in Asian cooking. Neither tastes like fish in a reecipe.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

One of the recipes I want to try is eggs scrambled with cucumber. It probably will be different because the cucumber has changed over time. They used to have a more bitter flavor.

[SunkenCiv]

Sammy Hagar’s illegitimate son? 🎶

[SunkenCiv]

The weird thing about chariots was, there was no chair in them, ya had to stand up.

[SunkenCiv]

The only way I enjoy cukes is as pickles.

[SunkenCiv]

Is that thatzoh...

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

When it comes to pickles I prefer zucchini. Less watery.

Now zucchini and eggs are a tasty combo.

[SunkenCiv]

Yup. The Roman bread dole went on for centuries. Also, pork was popular but (as now) was more expensive at certain times of the year. But when the Games were on, it wasn’t a good idea to eat from restaurants near the arenas, because human flesh is, uh, basically indistinguishable from pork, and, uh, well...

[SunkenCiv]

I’ll eat yellow summer squash, never much cared for zukes.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

We had a bumper crop of yellow squash this year. Wonder if you can pickle it? Don't see why not.

BTW thanks for the link to the book. I ordered it.

[Jamestown1630]

Is there evidence that they really did that???

[Beowulf9]

A day at the colosseum drinking wine, eating bread and cheese, enjoying the spectacle.

But I just hope it’s not too bloody a one.

[frank ballenger]

😁

[frank ballenger]

Just the description starts to activate a response from my stomach. I’ll leave the garum but take the cannoli.

[SunkenCiv]

A surviving menu in one of those Roman take-out joints including something called “spaghetti and Pete’s balls”.

IOW, nope, just ancient scuttlebutt. Could be like the current allegation that Chinese restaurants serve dog and cat meat.

[Jamestown1630]

LOL.

(I had to ask because you are usually pretty precise about ancient history...)

[SunkenCiv]

My mother used to slice ‘em thin (one of those handheld graters has a wide slicer on one side), and then chop up every leftover veg in the fridge, chop up some tomato and onion, then fry up some bacon, cut it all up into bits, and toss in the veggies, and do sort of a stir-fry. But it’s gotta be yellow squash, zukes just ruin it for me.

[SunkenCiv]

It is true about the indistinguishable nature of pork and human flesh, which may be a reason pork is forbidden in Judaism and Islam.

[Jamestown1630]

I thought it had more to do with food borne disease and lack of refrigeration.

(Though I’ve seen the tales about ‘long pig’ from other parts of the world.)

[Ken H]

Tasting History is a You Tube channel that discusses what people ate throughout history, including Egypt, Rome and the Middle Ages. He also cooks dishes that were discussed using recipes available from the time.

https://youtube.com/c/tastinghistory