All Roads

  We are the Romans Meet the people behind the history by David Long illustrated by Allen Fatimaharan In 2012, Professor Mary Beard starred in a three-part TV series on the BBC called Meet the Romans .* This book is not affiliated, but I feel as though it shares the same philosophy. Instead of focusing on the generals and politicians--the "great man" approach to history--there are "profiles" of all sorts of people: a musician, a slave boy, a legionary, a doctor and a baker, among others. * This is not the place for me to fan-girl out about how much I love and respect Mary Beard and how many times I have watched this show. Nor for me to rave about what a great book SPQR is. But what I will say is that if you would appreciate hearing an intelligent and insightful woman talk about history--and seeing her randomly riding a bicycle around Italy--you should watch Meet the Romans on YouTube. Here's a link. You're welcome! (portrait from the article quoted below)...

  Food and Cooking in Ancient Rome by Clive Gifford Illustrations by Paul Cherrill   The above mosaic is held in the Vatican's Profane Museum. It depicts a variety of food garbage (and a mouse) which was meant to camouflage the REAL food garbage that guests would have thrown on the floor while eating. This type of mosaic was so common that it has its own name: asarotos oikos , or “unswept room.”  (2nd century CE) If you have a mental image of Romans eating, chances are you envision a banquet with toga-clad men eating bunches of grapes and exotic delicacies while slaves pour them wine; someone recites a poem in the background and strums the lyre. Maybe a dancing girl capers around. Scenes like this certainly occurred regularly among the upper echelons of society both in Rome and in the many places where Roman influence spread, but it was not a typical meal for "Joe Roman," anymore than dinner at the Four Seasons or Serendipity is typical for a person in the US today. Most ...