5. Luxury Foods:
- Exotic ingredients: Wealthy Romans indulged in more exotic foods, including wild game (like boar and deer), peacock, and even dormice, which were considered a delicacy.
- Spices and Sauces: They used imported spices from across the empire and beyond, including black pepper, cumin, and cinnamon. Garum, the fermented fish sauce, was the Roman equivalent of ketchup, used to flavor many dishes.
6. Beverages:
- Wine: Wine was the most common drink for Romans of all classes, often diluted with water. It was consumed at every meal.
- Posca: This was a sour wine or vinegar-based drink mixed with water, often consumed by soldiers and the lower classes.
The Roman diet was influenced by the expansion of the empire, with ingredients and culinary practices brought from the far reaches of Roman-controlled territories.