Roman diet and nutrition in the Vesuvian region : a study of the bioarchaeological remains from the Cardo V sewer at Herculaneum
The Roman town of Herculaneum, due to its burial by the eruption of Vesuvius in AD79, provides the rare opportunity to study the diet of middle and lower class Romans living in an urban context in mid-1<sup>st</sup> century AD Italy. Knowledge concerning Roman diet, prior to the growth of bioarchaeology in the 1960s and 1970s, was derived from the ancient texts and focused primarily on the elite diet. The diets of the poorer classes have often been considered monotonous and unhealthy and consequently, malnutrition is believed to have been widespread in urban centres. Collaboration between the numerous sub-disciplines of bioarchaeology, including archaeobotany and zooarchaeology, has begun to take place amongst scholars working on the Vesuvian sites and diet is currently being studied using a more holistic approach. The ancient sources act as a secondary resource and it is now the physical food remains that play a crucial role in examining Roman diet and associated topics such as trade, health and nutrition. This thesis investigated the bioarchaeological remains from the Cardo V sewer that ran beneath the shop/apartment complex of Insula Orientalis II in Herculaneum. It is the first large scale study to combine
Rowan, Erica
Archeology ; Roman archeology ; Europe ; Economic and Social History ; Archaeology ; Roman ; Herculaneum ; Pompeii ; Italy ; food ; archaeobotany ; diet ; nutrition ; fish
Roman diet and nutrition in the Vesuvian region : a study of the bioarchaeological remains from the Cardo V sewer at Herculaneum. The Roman town of Herculaneum, due to its burial by the eruption of Vesuvius in AD79, provides the rare opportunity to study the diet of middle and lower class Romans living in an urban context in mid-1<sup>st</sup> century AD Italy. Knowledge concerning Roman diet, prior to the growth of bioarchaeology in the 1960s and 1970s, was derived from the ancient texts and focused primarily on the elite diet. The diets of the poorer classes have often been considered monotonous and unhealthy and consequently, malnutrition is believed to have been widespread in urban centres. Collaboration between the numerous sub-disciplines of bioarchaeology, including archaeobotany and zooarchaeology, has begun to take place amongst scholars working on the Vesuvian sites and diet is currently being studied using a more holistic approach. The ancient sources act as a secondary resource and it is now the physical food remains that play a crucial role in examining Roman diet and associated topics such as trade, health and nutrition. This thesis investigated the bioarchaeological remains from the Cardo V sewer that ran beneath the shop/apartment complex of Insula Orientalis II in Herculaneum. It is the first large scale study to combine
roman diet nutrition region study bioarchaeological remain roman_town due burial eruption provide rare_opportunity study diet middle low_class romans live urban_context italy knowledge concern roman diet prior growth bioarchaeology derive ancient text focus_primarily elite diet diet class often_consider consequently believe widespread urban_centre collaboration numerous sub disciplines bioarchaeology include archaeobotany zooarchaeology begin take_place amongst scholar work site diet currently study use holistic approach ancient_source act secondary resource physical food remain play_crucial_role examine roman diet associate topic trade health nutrition investigated bioarchaeological remains run beneath shop complex first large_scale study combine