ABSTRACT
Drawing upon each, but with particular attention to the ancient textual and zooarchaeological records, this chapter provides an overview of understanding of the contribution of meat and other animal products in the ancient Roman diet. Discussion of the contribution of meat and other animal products in the Roman diet requires, as a foundation, some context about Roman meals. While ancient texts provide a list of different types of animals consumed and parts that were edible, they supply no explicit details about how much and what types of meat, milk, cheese, eggs and other animal resources were eaten, or how contributions varied culturally and temporally. Zooarchaeological evidence indicates that meat was often considered a status item among many ancient cultures. To understand more about the social role of meat in antiquity it is important to consider how fat content in animal products influenced tastes, values, and choices in consumption.
