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1 A Very Roman Dinner Party

A Very Roman Dinner Party

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A textbook on the dining customs and traditions of the elite in the first and second centuries AD of the Roman Empire

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A Very Roman Dinner Party

2

Created by:

Catherine Twissell

&

Gianluca Sidhu

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Contents... Introduction:

Part I: Food & Drink

Chapter 1: Food, Glorious Food

Chapter 2: A Very Roman Menu

Chapter 3: Vital Flavours

Chapter 4: The Order of Service

Chapter 5: Time for Wine

Part II: Appearance

Chapter 1: Dressed To Impress

i) Men

ii) Women

iii) Slaves

Chapter 2: Hairy Business

Chapter 3: The Gold Standard

Part III: Presentation

Chapter 1: Silver Service

Part IV: Dining Posture

Chapter 1: Dining & Reclining

Part V: Etiquette & Behaviour

Chapter 1: Table Manners

Part VI: Aroma

Chapter 1: The Pleasure of Perfume

Part VII: Entertainment

Chapter 1: Fun & Games

A Party to Remember:

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Introduction Learning about the Roman world is always intriguing.

Understanding what went on inside certain buildings, how the

army operated or even the daily life of some citizens is still

fascinating to this day. The Roman dinner party is just one of

these areas that forever interests people. The feasts of the

wealthy citizens are a particularly exciting subject to learn about

for the elite were known to splash out on very sumptuous

dinners. Every part of the evening was carefully planned from

the seating arrangements to the presentation of the food itself.

But why go through all this trouble just for one night?

For the Roman elite dinner was a very important occasion. It was

not just a chance for gastronomic excess; the evening had a dif-

ferent significance for both guest and host. For the host, it could

have been a way for him to promote his reputation within socie-

ty. An impressive meal may have propelled him to a new

political position or gained him vital support. For the guests, it

could have simply been an event for social gathering and also

an opportunity to establish important connections with

influential people in the town or city.

An invitation to the dinner, better known as the convivium

in the ancient world, of an elite citizen was always

something to look forward to for there was no aspect

that was overlooked. The more lavish the evening,

the better, and people were expected to impress and be impressed

when they attended.

Through the contents of this book, you will find out about all the

areas that were taken into account for the Roman attending a

dinner party and the person whose job it was to host. Everything

from the appearance of guests and the room to the nitty gritty

aspects of food preparation will be talked about in the following

pages.

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Part I:

Food & Drink

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For a culture essentially built upon

patronage and public image the dinner

party was a vital element of society.

Distinguished and wealthy hosts

would go to enormous lengths to

surprise and delight their guests. Food,

therefore, had to be elaborate, extrava-

gant and overstated. The famous

phrase „you are what you eat‟ extend-

ed to „you are what you offer your

guests to eat‟ for the Romans.

It would probably be safe to suggest

that for the Greeks drinking was the

major party activity. However, for the

Roman‟s, food was the star of the

show, dominating a central table

which guests would then organise

themselves around.

Today the smell of Roman cuisine is

one of the prevailing souvenirs of their

civilisation: the banquet is perhaps as

much a part of its popular mythology

as any of their philosophy, laws or

monuments. Undoubtedly, it‟s

reputation is notorious. Indeed,

contrary to present day preference, the

main objective for Roman cooks

seemed to be to disguise the natural

taste of food. To a modern palate the

endless spices, herbs and liquids seem

far too intense and overbearing,

overshadowing the more subtle

elements of each dish. But what

exactly were these tastes and just why

were these concentrated flavours so

popular?

In the Roman period the ability to se-

cure exotic herbs and liquids was con-

sidered a demonstration of status; they

were used to reflect the wealth of the

dinner‟s benefactor. Ingredients such

as garam could reach

considerably high prices and

thus individuals were keen

for it to pungently pervade

their dishes in order to flaunt

their affluence and prosperity.

Food, Glorious Food... Fun Fact:

One theory about Roman society and its preference

for highly flavoured foods is that lead poisoning was

prevalent among the aristocracy, due mainly to the

use of lead lined pots used for boiling a preservative

syrup required by wine merchants.

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A Very Roman Menu

Gustatio

Bortsch:

A clear soup with beetroot and chicken- an

interesting mix of sweet and savoury.

Beef Faggots:

Ground mince meat, mixed with myrtle berries and bound

together with caul fat.

Prima Mensa :

Chicken in a Sweet and Sour Sauce:

Whole roasted chicken with a sweet and sour dip.

Parthian Chicken :

Roasted Chicken covered and basted in asafoetida and a

variety of herbs.

Ofellae :

Roasted Pork belly finished in a sweet

oenogarum

Spicy Mushy Peas :

Marrowfat peas boiled down in sweet wine and honey and

finished with fish sauce for an interesting sweet/salty taste.

Mushroom Patina:

Baked mushrooms and eggs. Similar to an

omelette.

Stuffed Mackerel :

Whole baked mackerel stuffed with

Hazelnuts, honey and mint.

Secunda Mensa :

Deep Fried Honey Fritters:

A thick set porridge, deep fried and dipped into honey,

served warm.

Pear Pattina:

A fruit based egg custard flavoured with cumin,

served warm.

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Roman Ingredient Description Modern Equivalent

Asafoetida

A gum derived from the sap of the

roots and stem of the Ferula

assafoetida plant. It has a very pun-

gent aroma (like fermented garlic)

though this dissipates with cooking.

Can still be acquired today in Indian

supermarkets or health-food shops.

Found either as liquid essence or a

fine yellow powder.

Caroenum Boiled Must (essentially very young

wine at the first stage of

fermentation)

A similar equivalent would be a

young sweet wine, boiled down and

reduced by half.

Defritum A thick, sweet syrup made from

grape juice, boiled until reduced by

half.

2L Red grape juice boiled down

with 5 dried figs

Liebstoeckl

Similar to celery. The roots of the

plant were ground into a powder. Its

dried roots are used as spice.

Lovage or fennel seeds.

Garum

Fermented salted fish, an incredibly

pungent smell and flavour. Used in

almost all Roman dishes.

A very strong Thai fish sauce.

Passim A sweet wine sauce. Made my add-

ing honey to must and boiling until

thick.

--

Puledimu Minty flavour. Ordinary garden mint can be

substituted.

Sautreia

Similar to Thyme in appearance, but

distinct flavour, quite like

marjoram.

Can still be found today, known as

„Summer Savory‟

Silphium

Used as a garlic and onion substitute.

Very pungent and only needed to be

used sparingly.

Garlic.

Vital Flavours... Of course, food and cooking are

timeless and universal and thus it is

relatively simple to recreate many

almost identical dishes to ones that

would have been found at Roman

banquets. However, there are some

ingredients that simply no longer

exist or are almost impossible to

come by in this day and age. This

does not present a great inconven-

ience as there are many modern

substitutions that can be used that

scarcely alter the original flavours

of each dish.

Here are some of the most vital

condiments for Roman cooking

with an equivalent modern

substitution provided where neces-

sary.

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Course Latin Name Typical Foods Extras

Starter Gustatio or Promulsio

Salads, Radishes, Eggs, Mushrooms, Oysters, Sardines

Followed an initial drink of wine sweetened with honey

Main Prima Mensa

Fish included eel, turbot, mackerel, mullet, eels, prawns,

oysters, and other shellfish.

Poultry dishes included: chicken, goose, ostrich, crane,

duck, partridge, pheasant, pigeon, dove, thrushes,

fig-peckers, and--for the rich--peacock. Meat included boar, venison, wild goat, mutton, lamb, kid, sucking pig, hare,

dormice, and sausage.

Offering To Gods

Libatio None

Involved a short silence while an offering of wheat, salt, and wine was made to the house-hold gods on the family altar

Dessert Secunda Mensa Every kind of honey-sweetened

cake and fruit dishes.

Two favourite desserts were stuffed dates and honeyed

bread; another was poppy-seeds mixed with honey.

After Dinner Drinking and Entertainment

Comissatio Wine Mixed With Water

During the rest of the party, music, song, dancing girls,

conjurors, dwarfs, and acrobats were sometimes provided as

entertainment

The Order Of Service... Perhaps the best modern equivalent

of a Roman banquet today would be

a Chinese meal. Indeed, in much a

similar way, dishes were served in

various communal bowls and platters

from which the guests would pick

and chose as they fancied.

There certainly seems to have been a

fairly common order in which food

was served and the types of foods

that would be provided for each

course. This table provides a

relatively accurate description of this

order.

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For the Romans, wine was also a vital element

of the dinner party. They had far many more

containers and vessels for wine and drink than

they did for food. In terms of the dinner ban-

quet the wine would have been brought into the

room within a big container known as an am-

phora, much like the one pictured on the right.

It was then scooped out with a long spoon

shaped object known as a trulla. It would then

be filtered through a sieve and mixed down

with a considerable amount of water and per-

haps a number of aromatic herbs and spices in

order to disguise any impurities.

The precise proportions of the mix would have

been determined by either the host or one of

the guests. At the beginning of the party the

guests would have elected a magister bibendi,

who- following the Greek tradition - would

have been responsible for the consumption of

alcohol by the guests. This would have been a

difficult task and would have involved intimate

knowledge of the guests in order to decipher

who could hold their drink and who could not.

It was his job to decide the correct proportion

of wine dilution in accordance to what he felt

the guests could handle. His options would

have ranged from pure wine (generally consid-

ered highly barbaric) to wine diluted with parts

water. Customarily though, the favoured mix

was two to three parts water to one part wine.

Due to his task of alcohol controller the magis-

ter was also in charge of the overall evening,

he had to decide conversations topics that were

appropriate for discussion, as well as selecting

the speakers. If he deemed the conversation

either too trivial or too heated he would have

been responsible for interrupting and proposing

a new topic.

As with bottles of wine today, wine matured

further in the amphorae. The Romans certainly

considered older wines to be better, believing

them not only to be tastier but also more bene-

ficial to the health, supposedly improving the

blood circulation, aiding digestion and helping

a good night‟s sleep. Wine would have been

distinguished by colour with the brighter and

clearer ones being the sweetest and lightest and

the darker reds and blacks the driest and heavi-

est.

Time for Wine...

Fun Fact

In summer wine was cooled

with snow; in winter water was

boiled in a kettle-like urn and

served warm.

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Part II:

Appearance

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Dressed To Impress... In the Roman Empire appearance

could indicate a great deal of

information. Whilst the poor could

rarely afford to alter the way they

looked, the elite citizens of Rome

spent much money to appear in

the correct manner for various

events. Clothing was an important

feature and differed greatly not

just between genders but certain

garments were provincially and

seasonally influenced. Dress also

reflected public and private life,

ceremonial, religious and funerary

occasions. In the Roman Empire

the need to show off ones wealth

was a high concern and

appearance could communicate

this to a great degree. For the

males who attended a dinner

party, it was often the case that

their attire would consist of two

garments; the tunic and toga.

The tunic was the most basic item

of male clothing and was worn by

all members of society, from

slaves to the Emperor himself. It

varied in length, colour and thick-

ness. For instance, thick tunics

could be worn in the winter for

protection against the cold.

However, when worn under the

toga for dining occasions it often

had short sleeves and was usually

quite thin. In addition, the tunic

would be belted and thus fall to

around knee length.

The toga would then be draped on

top of the tunic. During the

Roman period, the toga was

considered the national costume

and could only be worn by Roman

citizens. It was a particularly long

garment requiring around six

metres of cloth. Its large size

meant that it needed the help of a

slave or attendant in order to be

put on correctly.

These two particular garments,

although the toga could

sometimes be removed during the

evening to increase comfort, were

very symbolic and emphasized the

wealth of the wearer. For

example, cloth was expensive in

the Roman world and producing

enough material for both sets of

clothes would have been a big

undertaking. Furthermore, both

tunic and toga would have

contained colour which was yet

another symbol of the wealth and

status of the wearer.

Did you know?Did you know?Did you know?

At less important and At less important and At less important and

formal dinner parties formal dinner parties formal dinner parties

mantles were more mantles were more mantles were more

often worn over the often worn over the often worn over the

tunic instead of the tunic instead of the tunic instead of the

toga. The mantle did toga. The mantle did toga. The mantle did

not consist of as much not consist of as much not consist of as much

material as the toga and material as the toga and material as the toga and

therefore wearers of the therefore wearers of the therefore wearers of the

garment could be less garment could be less garment could be less

concerned with concerned with concerned with

correcting the folds correcting the folds correcting the folds

created by the material. created by the material. created by the material.

It was a much more It was a much more It was a much more

comfortable and comfortable and comfortable and

practical piece of practical piece of practical piece of

clothing to dine in, so clothing to dine in, so clothing to dine in, so

much so that the much so that the much so that the

author, Tertullian, author, Tertullian, author, Tertullian,

wrote a book in which wrote a book in which wrote a book in which

he praised the mantle he praised the mantle he praised the mantle

for its design.for its design.for its design.

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The Romans were lovers of

bright colours however;

colours that were too bright

were often thought of as being

“unRoman”. Purple was the

most popular colour during

the Roman period and repre-

sented wealth and decadence

for it was very hard to manu-

facture. As a result, it was

common for this colour to

feature on much of the

clothing of the elite citizens.

The tunics and togas worn at

dinner parties would have

more than likely contained

stripes of purple increasing in

thickness depending on the

social rank of the wearer.

The appearance of men did

not stop at clothing. Hair was

another important factor to

consider and generally men

looked toward the Emperor

for the latest fashion.

However, this was a more

relaxed subject for the male

population who had to

overcome problems such as

receding hairlines. It was

frowned upon for a man to be

seen wearing a wig far more

so than a woman. In addition,

some Emperors had curls in

their hair and although oil was

used for styling, this too

would have been hard to

perfect for many men for

whom curls would not have

come naturally.

Furthermore, although

appearance was a medium

through which prosperity

could be displayed, an aspect

such as jewellery, which today

serves to display the wealth of

many, was not as vital a fac-

tor. Men who wore too much

jewellery were considered

effeminate and again it was

“unRoman” to be seen with an

array of bracelets and

earrings, although in

some provinces men

were often seen with

such additions. However,

it was acceptable for some

men to wear signet rings as a

sign of their status within so-

ciety.

Fun Fact

Purple dye came from a number of

places but the most expensive purple

was produced by shellfish from Tyre.

10,000 shellfish were required for only

1g of the dye. It was extremely popular

and very famous for its rich purple

colour. However, it was just as well

known for its smell, so much so that

often some members of the population

wore purple clothes to mask their own

body odour!

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For women, clothing worn to dine

was just as important as it was for

males. In many regards the garments

they donned followed the same basic

styles as men‟s clothing, only differ-

ing in terms of size or length. Dining

clothing for women consisted main-

ly of a tunic and mantle which

could have been of material of the

same colour. However, for more

formal dining the stola was fa-

voured over the mantle.

Women...

From the late republic onwards the stola

was viewed as the status symbol of

women‟s attire, just as the toga was for

male clothing. Worn over the simpler

tunic, the stola would have draped across

the entire body, covering even the feet.

Perhaps the most distinguishable feature

of the stola was its V-Shaped neckline,

created by draping narrow ribbons of

cloth over the shoulders and allowing the

material in-between to hang down

loosely. Unlike its Greek archetype, the

stola was always worn over a tunic with

elbow-length sleeves and was belted

under the breast with a plain cord.

In terms of tunics, in the first and second

centuries the Gap-Sleeved tunic was the

design of choice. Originally a Greek

form of tunic, this style was made from

two wide rectangles of cloth sewn

together on each side of the body.

However, unlike its male equivalent, the

shoulders on the female type seem to

have remained unsown and instead were

simply „fastened‟ at regular intervals

down the arm.

Between these fastenings the

clothing would gape, creating its

characteristic „gap-sleeve‟

appearance.

To create these fastenings the two

edges of the cloth would have been

gathered together and then sewn

around to fix it in place. The

consequential „tuft‟ would then

either be left as it was, or flattened

down according to preference. The

sagging folds caused by this kind of

fastening would have helped to

form the fashionable „gaps‟ in the

sleeve.

15

It would be expected that slaves would have had a very poor

appearance not just at dinner but in the Roman world as a whole.

However, this is not the case. Slaves were the property of the rich

and their attire would have very much reflected the wealth of their

master and host of the party. As a result, they would have probably

been fitted with good quality clothes. However, unlike the

intricacies of the clothes of the guests, the slaves would have

most likely worn a simple tunic. This would have been far easier to

work in and carry out the duties required of them during dinner

parties.

Fun Fact

Guests who ate with their fingers would often need somewhere

to wipe their hands. A dirty appearance was not appreciated

by the Romans and although some wiped their fingers on the

table cloth or napkins, others were not quite as polite. Some

cleaned their fingers on the hair of male or female slaves who

grew it long for just this reason.

Slaves...

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The Gold

Standard...

Jewellery was also a vital element of the staging, the most

popular items being necklaces, earrings, finger-rings and

bracelets. Due to the accessibility of a wide range of

natural resources that could be found across the vast

expanse of the Roman Empire a largely diverse selection

of materials were used in their jewellery, just some of

these included: gold, silver, copper, iron, glass, bone,

amber. Moreover, due to their extensive trade networks

with Persia, India and the Far East many precious and

semi-precious gemstones were also a popular option for

more exotic trinkets.

Gold was certainly the material of choice of the upper

classes due to its warming colour. In general, colour was

considered the decisive and most important factor of

choosing jewellery, rather than ostentatious glitter or

sparkle. As a result, pearls rather than diamonds were the

preferable items, reaching far higher prices than any other

type.

In terms of design much Roman jewellery was fashioned

by Greek artisans, in a Greek style. An example of

derivative Roman design was the Herakles knot, also

known as the "knot of Hercules," or "marriage-knot,"

which was influenced by the ancient Egyptians and

Greeks. Also popular was the Roman motif depicting a

coiling snake which symbolized immortality. The snake

was typically fashioned into gold bracelets, as can be

seen on the image on the right.

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Hairy Business... It seems that as soon as young girls had hair

long enough to pin up, they did so. Elaborate

and complex hairstyles were very much the pre-

vailing fashion throughout the Roman period.

Styles changed radically over the ages but when

a certain style did fall into fashion it often re-

mained so for as much as 20-30 years. In the

imperial period in particular, women wishing to

be fashionable and „in vogue‟ would look to the

official imperial statues and coin portraits in or-

der to decipher the latest trends. Livia, the wife

of Augustus, was especially influential in this

area and was undoubtedly the most important

trend-setter of her age. Today, these coins and

statues remain the most useful tool in

establishing the key movements throughout the

eras, enabling us to view the styles up close and

from a variety of angles.

We can see that some of the prevailing styles of

the imperial period were so intricate that often

they would require extra false hair or pads to

keep it in place; some literary sources also

document the use of wigs. Particularly popular

styles included waved bands of hair around the

face, low buns of plaits, often bounded with

another plait, many small intricate plaits, and

intense ringlets upon the top of the head. Below

are some examples of how some hair would

have been styled for dinner.

Certainly styling your hair for the meal would

have been just as important part of the „show‟

as any of the jewellery or clothing. Also, due to

the immense complexity of the hairstyles, a

servant was generally required to help create it

and thus they would have been largely reserved

for the rich and leisured classes, poor women

would have had to make do with much simpler

designs. Hair was just another element that Ro-

man women would have utilised to demonstrate

class, status and wealth.

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Part III:

Presentation

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Silver Service... The presentation of dinner had a

very significant impact. The manner

in which the room was decorated,

how the food was delivered and by

whom it was delivered aimed to

show off the affluence of the host

and add to the opulent atmosphere.

The more lavish everything

appeared, the wealthier the host

looked and this was one of the main

purposes of hosting a dinner party.

The walls of the dining room,

known as the triclinium, were a

crucial element in decoration. These

could be decorated with a number

of designs but ideally the owner of

the house would probably have

selected images of great interest

that promoted intellectual

discussions at dinner occasions.

Furthermore, walls could just as

easily be painted with an image of

an elaborate architectural vista.

This aimed to transport the mind of

the diner so that they felt they were

dining in the upmost extravagance.

Floor mosaics also contributed a

good deal to the room environment.

Did you know?

Publius Fannius Synistor, the owner of a house at Boscoreale

near Pompeii, painted an image of a palace on the wall of his

triclinium. It contained columns and was ornately decorated to

give the impression that diners were reclining in a splendid

colonnaded pavilion.

Furniture was another means

through which the host could

display his wealth. It was

tradition for three couches to

be positioned in a „U‟ shape

in the room. This is what

gave the triclinium its name.

„Tri‟ related to the number of

couches in the room. Howev-

er, there did not necessarily

have to be three for in Pom-

peii there exists an outside

dining area consisting of only

two couches, it has been

referred to as a biclinium.

These couches could be

made of all sorts of materials

but the rich would have had

very expensive couches

draped in cloths of perhaps

even greater value.

20

Presentation did not end with the

furniture for food was displayed with

the greatest care. Cookery in the Roman

period was not just about the production

of food but an art form. The cook

modeled his creations with the

refinement of a sculptor and his

imaginative dishes would aim to

impress the guests. The host would ap-

pear in a very good light if he had a

chef who was extremely impressive

with his skill in the kitchen.

Slaves also performed an integral part

of the presentation of the meal for they

were responsible for many tasks. Their

duties consisted of serving and

cleaning, though not during mealtimes

for this was seen as quite rude.

Moreover, if they were educated, they

could recite poems, sing, dance and act.

The slave was a key asset of the host

and anything they did would have a

bearing on the reputation of their

master. For a young slave, the dinner

also provided an opportunity to impress

their owner and his drunken friends.

This could lead to the prospect of

freedom in the long run.

Fun Fact

Although the Romans traditionally ate food with

their fingers, spoons and knives would be available

to use. As simple as the fork is, it was not in

existence in the time of the Roman Empire!

21

Part IV:

Dining Posture

22

Dining & Reclining... Unlike today where many modern

families sit upright on chairs at the

dinner table, in Rome the protocol was

slightly different. The customs for

dining were not as simple and straight

forward in the Empire and much was

dependent upon gender, age, status and

social rank.

For the males who attended it was

normal for them to recline whilst

dining, leaning on the left elbow.

However, the practice for women, who

were generally not as numerous to the

dinner as men, was more complicated.

Certainly in the early stages of the Ro-

man republic women did not recline

but instead sat at the convivium. It was

believed that this posture would place

them under the scrutiny and control of

the male. It was also deemed shameful

for a woman to be seen in the reclining

position as it was thought this would

compromise their respectability.

Nevertheless, as the Roman Empire

developed, traditions that once existed

began to fade away and it became more

common to see females lying down at

dinner parties.

23

This was not the end of the matter however, for the

position in which one was situated was another

important aspect of the Roman dinner party. The

theme of status did not just exist in the appearance

of the guests and hosts for it also formed the basis

on the seating arrangements.

Each of the three couches, known as the lecti, that

diners reclined on had its own hierarchical value

and every position on the individual lectus also had

a special significance. The middle couch, lectus

medius was reserved for the guests of honor, the

people of highest importance for whom the dinner

was being held. Those on this centre couch could

participate in conversations much more so than

diners on other lecti. However, during a long

evening of dining, guests could easily switch

positions.

On the other couches, guests of lesser importance

would have reclined. The host would have

occupied a position closest to the guest of honour

and the hostess would have most likely rested next

to him. Invited guests and other relations took up

all remaining spaces

What about children? Were young boys and girls

allowed to dine with adults? Well, in the Roman

Empire children were not permitted to dinner until

the age of sixteen. They were considered inferior

individuals not yet complete in their physical and

social formation and could not be integrated fully

into the dining company as a result. If, however,

they were present they were not permitted to

recline and instead sat on chairs behind their father

or master. Sitting was a sign of inferior status and

it was not only children that experienced this

reduction in social rank.

Often, the host would have permitted his guests to

bring along friends or relations of their own who

were known as umbrae or shadows. Although the

host was expected to provide substantial food to

satisfy all the guests, it was not necessary to

provide seats for all who had come. Ideally three

guests were sufficient per couch but if there were

more than the recommended nine attendants,

these newcomers would be forced to sit beside

their friends on the lecti. More often than not,

these additions to the meal would have been

of lower status and so their demotion to

the seated posture would have marked

their social rank to other members at the

dinner.

Fun Fact

There were some people in the Roman Empire

who were invited to so many dinner parties that

they could get by on very little money. These

people were notorious in the world of dining

and were known as ‘parasites’. They were very

entertaining and amusing characters.

24

Part V:

Etiquette & Behaviour

25

Table Manners... Just like nowadays, there were certain rules and regulations that

would be followed by guests at dinner. The Romans were quite

particular in their ways and while some of their manners seem rela-

tively normal, others were a bit strange and unexpected by our

modern standards.

Conversation was an important factor for all those present. In the

Roman Empire, oratory skills were highly regarded and success

was often determined by the ability to use speech effectively. At

the convivium, there were preferred topics of discussion and

anyone could voice their ideas. However, it was required that

while one speaker was setting out his argument, the others

remained silent. Once finished, everyone was

free to support or dispute what was previously

said and speakers were applauded

by the companions at the dinner.

Conversation was not the only concern for the Romans for there were even rules regarding how fast

you should eat. People who ate too speedily from the communal dishes were said to irritate those

who were a little slower. This would sometimes lead to squabbles and leave an unpleasant tone for

the rest of the evening. The hungry guest had to be wary of the speed at which he satisfied his

appetite.

Fun Fact

Plutarch made a list of some of the kinds of

subjects that were in discussion in Rome that

could perhaps be integrated into the dining

environment.

Why is A the first letter of the alphabet?

What came first, the chicken or the egg?

Why does drink satisfy hunger, while

food makes one thirsty?

Why are people hungrier in the autumn?

As well as worrying about speed, quantity was

another problematic area. If a guest had brought

along a companion he would need to make sure

that his friend had enough food and drink too.

Therefore, the guests could not merrily drink

and eat their way through the evening but in-

stead had to take notice of the appetite of those

they had brought along.

26

Diners were also expected

to appear washed and

clean for the meal so they

did not spoil the appetite

of others. A napkin and

the ability to use it

appropriately was another

essential. Smearing your

face with a food stained

hand was no way to

impress the other diners.

Moreover, it was custom

for food to be taken with

the right hand and toss

unwanted bits onto the

floor. It would then be

cleared away at the end of

the meal for it was rude to

wipe away any mess while

people were still dining.

However, as much as the

dinner was a display of the

abundant wealth of the

host, it was disrespectful

to be seen wasting food.

The perils of drinking also

troubled diners. In Rome,

it was quite shocking to be

seen vomiting from the

consumption of too much

alcohol and people were

accused of having little

restraint if they did so.

However, for those who

regularly attended dinner

parties, it was not

uncommon for a feather to

be put down the throat in

order to vomit and clear

the stomach in order for

the next sumptuous meal.

Manners were not just

required by the guest for

the host had duties too. It

was customary to spoil the

diners with not just food

and entertainment but also

with gifts. These were

known as apophoreta and

usually consisted of food.

The attendants now had

something to take home

with them.

Fun Fact

The Romans did not like doing things in a normal fashion

when it came to dinner and even the manner in which gifts

were distributed was a show in its own right. A vessel was

filled with pieces of paper with riddles and verses on them.

Each diner picked one out and read it aloud. The slave

would then bring out the relevant gift from the clues

written on the paper. The excitement never ended!

27

Part VI:

Aroma

28

The Pleasure of Perfume... Exotic aromas were amongst the most

elegant and honourable enjoyments in

life and so it was common to encounter a

wide variety in the meal environment.

The rich could offer the olfactory niceties

which the poor could not and at the

dinner party they were used for all

manner of purposes by both men and

women.

To begin with, the room where dinner

would be held was scented with the

upmost care. Walls were daubed with

perfume unguent and mosaic floors

sprinkled with fragrant water. Perfume

was so widely used in the Roman home

that even some pets were anointed with

the smell of their master.

However, this was not all and aromas for

dining came in a much wider form. Fresh

flowers and leaves were all used to add to

the fragrant environment. Tables could

be made ready by being rubbed with mint

leaves and cushions might be filled with

dried herbs. Scented water would be

offered to the guests in between courses

so that they could cleanse their hands of

the sticky food that they had eaten.

Food also added to the aromatic

atmosphere with many courses having an

extremely distinctive smell. As a result,

incense was customarily burnt at the end

of meals to clear away the scent of food

and leave the air smelling pleasant. It was

also burnt as an offering to the household

Gods present. Furthermore, sometimes

there were perfumed oils next to the

diners so that they could readily apply it

to their own brow. It was not

unreasonable for diners to put scents into

their drinks too. Myrrh was a popular

ingredient added to wine but it left a

bitter and spicy aftertaste.

Costly perfumes played a very important

role at dinner and there was so much

emphasis on scents that food sometimes

seemed measly in comparison. It was

even said that a feast was not proper until

accompanied by scent.

Did you know?

The scent of cloves

was believed to aid

digestion.

29

Part VII:

Entertainment

30

Fun & Games...

No Roman dinner was complete without its share of entertainment

and both slaves and guests could provide many varieties of

amusement. Music was very popular and the sounds of a lyre and

flute to accompany the dinner were often very well received.

Sometimes slaves known as symphoniaci pueri were ordered to

hum in the background while diners ate.

Often, after dinner was also a time for literary

recitations and the guests could show off their knowledge of

the famous authors of the time by standing to read aloud their

favorite passage.

For those who really wished to impress their guests, acrobats

and jugglers were sometimes hired out to perform greatly elab-

orate shows often involving knives and fire! Dwarves were al-

so highly popular attractions.

31

The Roman dining experience was a feat of great prepa-

ration and planning, as the previous pages have demon-

strated the drama and spectacle of the event was just as

vital as the food and cuisine and without it no meal would

have been complete.

The setting, clothing, entertainment and even the smell

all added up to make these occasions that every guest

would remember and cherish. Hopefully we have been

able to include all you could ever wish to know about

such events, and maybe even inspire you to recreate your

very own Roman dinner party!

A Party to Remember...