How often do you think about the Roman Empire?

In a foodie take on the recent trend, we wondered if you’ve ever found yourself thinking what the Romans ate? (You are what you eat, of course.) 

Dr Ian Goh, Senior Lecturer in Classics, has! He’s been working on a 1960-year-old agricultural manual by a Spaniard named Columella, which discusses the tasks of a farm manageress, which turn out to be mostly pickling. And he’s given some of the dishes a try! We thought we should share one with you…. 

See below the recipe for Moretum, a down-to-earth Roman recipe – their ‘ploughman’s lunch’ or pesto.

Dr Goh’s interest in ancient food has roots in his study of poets writing in Latin, whose descriptions of the moretum and what it signified for Roman lives piqued his curiosity.  

Many recipe details in the literature vary considerably, with little attention given to amounts, and in some cases, the actual ingredients. We may question whether one moretum tasted at all like another! Not to forget that some foods, like strong-smelling garlic, were class signifiers. And at least one, silphium, is potentially extinct. 

To find out more about this classic Roman dish and others, you can watch Dr Goh on the Classical Cuisine with Ian Goh playlist on the Swansea University Classics, Ancient History and Egyptology channel. Or to read more about his fascinating work on historic food and Roman cultural history, you can visit his staff profile, where there are links to his research papers and you can read his Food, Glorious Food blogpost.  

Let us know how your moretum tastes, and whether you’ve tried any other Roman recipes using our alumni@swansea.ac.uk email address, or on any of our socials!