ANCIENT ROMAN "FAST FOOD"

A thermopolium, a sort of street “fast-food” in ancient Rome, was unearthed in Pompeii, decorated with polychrome motifs and in an exceptional state of conservation. The counter frozen by volcanic ash had been partly exhumed in 2019, but the work was extended to best preserve the entire site, located in a district that was very busy. A fragment of duck bone, but also remains of pork, goat, fish and snails were recovered from the terracotta pots. Several ingredients were cooked together, much like a paella.

At the bottom of a jar were found pounded beans, which were used to modify the taste of the wine. Amphorae, a cistern and a fountain, as well as human bones, were found nearby, including those of a man in his 50s near a cot. The stall appears to have been hastily closed and abandoned by its owners, but it is possible that someone, possibly the oldest man, remained and perished during the first phase of the eruption , in the collapse of the attic. Thermopolium (from the Greek "thermos" which means hot, and "pôléô" which means to sell) were very popular in the Roman world. Pompeii had 80 by itself.





Please show me your coins related to FOOD !
Unidentified Aureus

Prutah with ear of grain


Hadrian, modius with corn-ears and poppy

 

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Exceptionnal find in Pompey. Thanks for showing it @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix

Q

 

Very cool! Thanks for sharing this.
I'm sure it would probably take a bit to acquire the taste of an ancient but nevertheless would love to try some of the grub they served.
Wonder what a meal cost?

Anyway, here's my Roman meal.
Here's an ancient food truck


For those health conscious Roman's that do everything Greek, why not start with grains:



And those that like their burgers EXTRA rare:



If you want a drink with your meal you just need to remove your sandals and do some mashing:


And for dessert...

I'd eat that apple

 

Not ancient....1933 Lebanon 50 piastres silver coin...cornucopia....



The Avatar tree from the movie. lol j/k

 

SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: IMP CAE L SEP SEV PERT AVG COSII - Laureate head right
REVERSE: FELICITAS TEMPOR - Grain ear between crossed cornucopia
Struck at Emesa, 194-195 AD
2.3g, 17mm
RIC 374a

 

Thanks for posting. I may not currently have anything ancient in my coin collection but love historical things like this.

 

Antoninus Pius
AR Denarius
144 A.D.
Obverse: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P COS III; laureate head right.
Reverse: ANNONA AVG; Modius with four-grain ears and a poppy.
RIC III 62a

 

Thanks for the article and coins, @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix .

Here is Tanit with a Grain Wreath, and Grain Corns on Reverse:


Carthage -
LIBYAN REVOLT Rebels
241-238 BCE
9.63g 24mm
Shekel
Sardinia mint
Tanit, Grain Wreath
3 Grain ears Crescent
SNG Cop 247

 

GRAPES


Thrace Maroneia 146 BC Dionysos AE 17 Grapes Narthex

 

..very kool!...thanks for sharing! ...my bring to the table...

 

Lucius Livineius Regulus
42 B.C.
Modius between grain ears

 

A coin I like very much as it was my first and it remains my only Imperial from Nerva



RIC II Nerva 113

Legend: IMP NERVA CAES AVG

Type: Modius containing four corn-ears

Legend: S C

Type: Winged caduceus upright

 

Cool thread and I'd love to see the Roman equivalent of the Golden Arches in person.

Nerva, A.D. 96-98

Type: Billon Tetradrachm, 25mm, 12.7 grams, mint of Alexandria year 96-97 A.D.

Obverse: Bust of Nerva facing right, KAIS SEB AVT NEPOVAS

Reverse: Agathodaemon serpent coiled with head right, holding caduceus and grain ear within coils, wearing the crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt. In exergue, LA.

Reference: Milne 542, Dattari 638 (rare)

 

Some seafood? Not the prettiest waiter but at least he's happy


Apollonia Pontica, Thrace. AR drachm. ca 420-300 BC. 2.73 g. Facing gorgoneion, mouth open, and with protruding tongue. / Upright anchor, crayfish in right field. (No "A"). SNG BM 150-152; SNG Cop. 453; BMC Mysia 2-3.

 

So you're saying it'd cost on average 2-8 aces for a decent meal!?

 

I saw that article in the Guardian today. Roman fast food beat McDonald's by a couple thousand years, and far more nutritious food, no doubt.

Here's an intermediate Athenian tetradrachm from the late 4th-early 3rd centuries BC, with an olive branch on the reverse, as well as what appear to be two vines, probably grape vines.

 

Food -- a pomegranate -- on a prutah of Alexander Jannaeus:


Alexander Jannaeus (Yehonatan), 103-76 BC.
Judean Æ Prutah, 2.25 g, 13.8 mm.
Jerusalem mint.
Obv: Hebrew inscription "Yehonatan the High Priest and the Council of the Jews" surrounded by wreath.
Rev: Double cornucopiae, pomegranate between horns.
Refs: Meshorer Group P; Hendin 1144.

 

In another more risque article about the Roman fast food stand, someone had left some suggestive, and very inappropriate for this forum, graffiti on the stand. Something that may have been a derogatory reference to the owner.

 

It really is a fascinating find. Since about a third of Pompeii has not yet been excavated, I am hoping for many new discoveries and insights from future excavations.



Stories like this make studying ancient Roman history exciting!