The Romans were advanced in medicine and they knew that diet affected the health of the legionaries. We have information about the diet of the Roman Empire soldier. We will assume a legionary fighting in the Second Punic War would have eaten similarly. In forts, the cooks could make bread. Lard substituted for butter. Olive oil was preferred with bread. Butter from frowned on as it was associated with the Gauls. 90% of supplies carried on the march were food supplies. Rations included wheat, olive oil, vinegar, cheese (sheep or goat), legumes, vegetables, smoked bacon or fresh meat (pork was preferred to beef), and wine. When marching, the soldiers ate something akin to American Civil War hardtack (bucelattum) and a type of jerky (coppiette). You needed to have strong teeth to survive as a legionary. If time permitted they could make fresh biscuits. Pulse was a type of mash made with wheat, water, salt, fat, and olive oil. Pane was a type of flatbread made with water, salt, spices. “The staple food in camp was unleavened bread made of wheat baked on hot stones or embers.” [Montgomery] Each contubernium had a hand mill for grinding the wheat called a quern. They used the wheat to make porridge called puls (if you were forced to use barley, that was a sign that the legion was in bad shape or your unit was being punished). Dried beans were carried on the mules. Although legionaries were not thrilled with vegetables, they were included in stews. Vegetables could be purchased from locals. Some of these were leeks, parsnips, cabbage, onions, carrots, peas, and beans. They had seasonings like salt, honey, pepper, and cumin. Olive oil was used as a flavoring and for cooking. To cover the bland taste of much of their food, the legionaries carried garum. Garum was the equivalent of Tabasco sauce. It was a sauce made from fish guts left to rot in the sun. From that description we can assume it made food less bland. Olives and fruits were eaten if found.
It is hyperbole to state, as some historians have, that the legionaries avoided meat and were upset if it was given to them. The fact is that meat was hard to preserve. And livestock owners usually hid their cattle, sheep, pigs, etc. whenever a legion was in the region. If the legion did manage to “requisition” herds of various livestock, they took them on the march and butchered them as needed. This means their meals sometimes included beef, pork, or mutton. Meat was either baked or boiled. Salt was a valuable supplement because it could be used to preserve the meat. It is believed the word “salary” comes from the Latin word for salt – “sal.” The Roman legionary might at times have been paid in salt because the spice was so valuable because of its preservative properties. Or the soldiers were paid money to buy salt. This payment was called a salarium (salt money). This explanation for the origins of the word has been called into question and there is no ironclad proof that the word comes from the Latin word for salt.
Some of the legionaries were assigned as foragers (frumentatores) to visit nearby farms to acquire food supplies, often at the point of a gladius and sometimes the unlucky farmer got the whole gladius. If the farmer was an ally, the supplies would be requisitioned. I guess a piece of paper in your hand was better than a piece of steel in your gut. Other legionaries were designated as hunters. They would provide game to be added to the fare. If it was harvest time, a large part of the legion might be sent to reap wheat or other grain. These men were called pabulatores. Aquatores fetched water. Lignatores gathered wood.
The standard beverage was water mixed with wine vinegar. This mixture was called posca. It was not as bad as it sounds. It was both nutritious and energizing. It was popular with legionaries, the lower class, and slaves. This was probably what the centurion gave to Christ on the cross. That means the offer was not crass. Rethink that scene and quit demonizing that centurion. If wine was available, it was always watered down. (Beer and mead probably came into consumption when Rome went into Gaul and Germania.) Usually there were two meals while in camp. The first was called prandum and was either at breakfast or lunch time. It was typically cold meat and cheese. The evening meal was called cena and it had a bigger variety of food. The patera was a combination cup, bowl, and pan. They used daggers and spoons. Forks had not been invented yet. Feeding a legion did not appear to be a problem, with some exceptions. One time Julius Caesar’s men had to eat grass. However, it is estimated that a legionary during the Empire period got 3,000 calories per day.
- from The Scipios in Spain
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