Skip to comments.
Romans went to war on diet of pizza, dig shows.
The Scotsman ^
| Mon 26 Aug 2002
| John Innes
Posted on 08/26/2002 2:20:42 PM PDT by vannrox
Romans went to war on diet of pizza, dig shows
John Innes
ROMAN soldiers went to war on egg and pizza according to archaeological analysis of Roman army toilets in Scotland.
Scientists also have discovered that the soldiers also appear to have gone to the lavatory in pairs.
Further analysis of the 2,000-year old remains of the legionnaires breakfasts may produce more clues to the diet and eating habits of the troops led by Gnaeus Agricola. They forced their way to the north of Scotland and victory over Caledonian tribesmen at the battle of Mons Graupius in 84 AD.
But archaeologists still puzzle over why the 15 latrines unearthed in a dig at Kintore, Aberdeenshire - 15 miles from the site of the battle - were dug in pairs. Theories range from a Roman liking for military symmetry to the suggestion that they simply enjoyed a good conversation.
Apart from the latrines, which revealed traces of defecated egg, the dig has revealed 120 individual bread ovens, the largest number ever found on one site in Britain.
The keyhole-shaped ovens lined with stone at one end are early versions of a pizza oven. Stone-lined pits were heated up, the ash raked out and a raw dough, probably mixed with any available vegetable, baked.
This article:
http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=946522002
TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: aberdeenshire; agricola; archaeology; caledonia; cook; dietandcuisine; dig; dormice; food; ggg; gnaeusagricola; godsgravesglyphs; history; kintore; monsgraupius; oven; past; pit; pizza; roman; romanempire; romans; scotland; scotlandyet; topping; troops
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20, 21-40, 41-60, 61-79 next last
To: mass55th
It was probably more like modern day focaccia bread than hardtack. Although, on a forced march the rations may have been different than at a long term encampment.
41
posted on
08/26/2002 6:09:03 PM PDT
by
Tailback
To: ItisaReligionofPeace
I can't imagine what conversations would come about while on the toilet.
You've never been to boot camp have you? There's nothing like an open latrine in boot camp to build a group identity.
42
posted on
08/26/2002 6:12:32 PM PDT
by
Tailback
To: Tailback
I haven't had the pleasure. :)
To: DainBramage
ROTFLMAO!!!
44
posted on
08/26/2002 6:33:00 PM PDT
by
gcruse
To: ItisaReligionofPeace
OPORTET MINISTROS MANUS LAVARE ANTEQUAM LATRINAM RELINQUENT
45
posted on
08/26/2002 6:42:49 PM PDT
by
vannrox
To: vannrox
And semper ubi sub ubi
46
posted on
08/26/2002 7:39:26 PM PDT
by
lizma
To: dinasour
In gallon jugs, I presume.5 gallon buckets.
47
posted on
08/26/2002 7:47:54 PM PDT
by
Redcloak
To: Redcloak
Anyone interested in details of the Roman army should get the book The Roman Legions Recreated in Colour Photographs by Daniel Peterson. It's great. No pics of fossilized poop, though.
To: Tailback
coprophagia is dung eating. I managed to learn a couple of things in Anthropology class despite the huge amounts of beer consumedGood to know your education wasn't wasted....;^)
To: lizma
Ubi O ubi est me sub ubi?
To: Tailback
There's nothing like an open latrine in boot camp to build a group identity.Multi-coprial....
To: vannrox
DiGiorno's or Godfather's?
52
posted on
08/26/2002 11:10:46 PM PDT
by
Consort
To: freebilly
Somewhere in my little grey cells, I do believe I knew this song. Granted thirty years ago. If you remember it please let me know.
I've got two little ones. They have already been instructed on "Comet. It makes my teeth turn green." and "The first marine ate the beans, parlez-vous"
I feel it is important to keep American culture alive. (and as American have a hoot doing it!!)
53
posted on
08/26/2002 11:33:50 PM PDT
by
lizma
To: lizma
It's fake Latin for Where O Where Is My Under Wear....
Anyhow, I've taught my kids the words to "Nobody likes me, everybody hates me, I'll go eat some worms...."
To: freebilly
But do you remember the verses for Where O where is my underwear??
The more culture we can can share with our kids, the better off they will be. (Wow, that sound so French.)
(Ah, when did you present the concept of "pull my finger"? I think mine are ready) :-)
55
posted on
08/27/2002 12:07:15 AM PDT
by
lizma
To: lizma
I cannot remember the words to Where O Where Has My Underwear Gone... c'est domage. My 5 year old learned about "Pull My Finger" when he was 3. Good thing Child Protective Services never found out. They probably would've wanted to remove him from the home because of Child Endangerment (exposure to methane of something).
To: dinasour
They didn't have tomato sauce. Tomatoes come from the New World and were brought back to Europe by the Spanish.
They did employ a revolting sauce called "garum", made from fermented fish - ughhh!!
57
posted on
08/27/2002 7:29:32 AM PDT
by
ZULU
To: vannrox
To: ZULU
Garum was a lot like Worchestershire sauce, also made from fish.
59
posted on
10/21/2003 12:33:04 PM PDT
by
ffusco
(Maecilius Fuscus,Governor of Longovicium , Manchester, England. 238-244 AD)
To: vannrox; blam; FairOpinion; Ernest_at_the_Beach; SunkenCiv; 24Karet; 3AngelaD; ...
Thanks to vannrox for posting this topic a couple of years ago. Found it just now using Google. Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on, off, or alter the "Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list --
Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
The GGG Digest -- Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)
60
posted on
11/28/2004 9:04:24 AM PST
by
SunkenCiv
("All I have seen teaches me trust the Creator for all I have not seen." -- Emerson)
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20, 21-40, 41-60, 61-79 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson