Study reveals the shocking way ancient Romans procured 'luxury' meat

Time of India

4 days ago

Image credits: Canva (Representative image)
While meat may have been a staple in the diet during the good old days, not every kind of meat was accessible to all. It seems the difference between the diet of the ones with a luxurious lifestyle and those with the ordinary existed back then as well.
Thus, in order to indulge once in a while, ordinary people had to procure the 'luxury meat' in unique ways.
In a recently published
research
entitled "Urban Consumption of Thrushes in the Early Roman City of Pollentia, Mallorca," Alejandro Valenzuela, a researcher at the Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies in Mallorca, discovered some previously unknown information on how Romans consumed thrushes, a type of small bird.
Until now, it was assumed that in the ancient Roman era, thrushes were a delicacy and were only reserved for the rich. However, Valenzuela found that these birds were also consumed by the masses through a peculiar source.
The source was found in a first-century cesspit in Mallorca, Spain where the bones of multiple species of animals were discovered. The pit was once connected to a fast-food shop called a taberna.
Thus, just like the modern day where we head to restaurants to eat lavishly prepared luxurious delicacies, the ordinary ancient Romans headed to the tabernae, which were essentially local fast food shops.
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'The key takeaway is that thrushes, once considered a luxury delicacy reserved for the Roman elite, were actually part of the everyday foodscape in cities like Pollentia,' said Valenzuela in his conversation with Fox News Digital. These establishments like tabernae and popinae primarily served the working-class urban populations offering quick and affordable meals, he said.
He added how the discovery changed the perspectives and assumptions and how archaeological evidence especially from refuse contexts like cesspits can provide direct insights into the daily life, food habits and economic strategies of the ordinary people of the ancient world.
The ancient
Roman diet
Image credits: Getty Images
Along with the discovery of the taberna, the cesspit consisted of remains of other animals such as pigs, sheep, goats, fish and shellfish, revealing the range of variation in the Roman diet.
'These spaces likely served stews, small fried or grilled meats, legumes and wine – meals convenient for those without kitchens at home,' Valenzuela said.
In terms of cooking methods, he revealed that thrushes were most likely pan-fried instead of grilled as per the evidence at the site.
Additionally, speed and simplicity of taste also mattered in service.
'Frying in oil was a common Roman technique for small birds, especially in urban food settings where speed and simplicity were key,' he said.
How did Romans cook and sell 'luxury' meat?
Archaeologists found that the thrushes' skeletons were missing large, meatier bones like femurs and humeri.
'The presence of fragmented sterna supports the idea that the birds were flattened to allow for quick cooking,' posited the researcher.
He also added that the people likely enjoyed these meats with vinegar, herbs, spices and a fermented fish sauce called garum.
'Small birds could be served on skewers or simple ceramic plates,' he said.
T
he expert added, 'The fact that thrushes were sold in bundles of 10, as per Diocletian's Price Edict, also suggests they were prepared in quantity, likely for immediate consumption by hand or on simple serving ware.'
The researcher also compared Roman cooking to American fast food adding that the Romans served most parts of the animal. 'In Pollentia, pig remains dominate the assemblage, and the presence of cranial and foot bones suggests that less-valued parts were also processed and consumed, likely as broths or stews,' Valenzuela said.
After reading of thrushes as the luxury meat from Roman times one would at least wonder how they tasted. Well, according to Valenzuela their taste is more similar to small game birds like quail or woodcock- lean, slightly gamey and rich, especially when pan-fried or roasted.
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