Caesar鈥檚 Cervisia
Wednesday, October 16, 2024 @ 7PM
Eaton Humanities #150 & Zoom
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ABSTRACT
Examinations of Roman cuisine often downplay the role of beer in the ancient Roman diet seeing it as a symbol of barbarity. This presentation examines the plausibility of beer as a standard component of the Roman soldier鈥檚 diet and seeks to highlight when it may have become necessary for military advancement. Julius Caesar鈥檚 reliance on auxiliary forces to campaign in the North from 58-51 BCE ensured that cultures known for producing beer influenced legionary forces reliant on local resources to survive. This lecture also asserts the implausibility of wine consumption amongst Caesar鈥檚 men and concludes that the acceptance of beer as a standard component of the Roman soldier鈥檚 diet begins with Caesar鈥檚 campaigns in Gaul and Britain.