Drawing on a variety of primary sources (literary accounts, archaeological evidence, artistic representations) and secondary scholarship, this course explores the complex role of food and drink in the societies of ancient Greece and Rome. What foods did the ancient Greeks and Romans consume, and how did they acquire their raw ingredients? How did everyday meals differ from special-occasion feasts? What can cooking techniques and consumption rituals reveal about household economics, one's place in society, tastes, and even aspirations? These are a few of the questions that we will explore in this course. While Greco-Roman foodways will be our focus, parallels drawn from other historical and modern societies will provide a basis for assessing the universal and particular aspects of ancient persons' relationship with food.
3-5 units · Letter or Credit/No Credit · GER: WAY-A-II, WAY-SI
Drawing on a variety of primary sources (literary accounts, archaeological evidence, artistic representations) and secondary scholarship, this course explores the complex role of food and drink in the societies of ancient Greece and Rome. What foods did the ancient Greeks and Romans consume, and how did they acquire their raw ingredients? How did everyday meals differ from special-occasion feasts? What can cooking techniques and consumption rituals reveal about household economics, one's place in society, tastes, and even aspirations? These are a few of the questions that we will explore in this course. While Greco-Roman foodways will be our focus, parallels drawn from other historical and modern societies will provide a basis for assessing the universal and particular aspects of ancient persons' relationship with food.
Offered in Autumn 2026 at Stanford University.