Have food remains been found in the excavations?
RE-sti — stress on first syllable. 'Scavi' — SCA-vi, plural of scavo.
Ask when discussing everyday life at Pompeii. A fascinating topic that bridges archaeology and Italian food culture. Guides love this question — it leads to vivid descriptions of the Roman diet.
Pompeii's extraordinary preservation means that actual food remains have been found — carbonised bread, figs, nuts, olives, fish sauce ('garum') in amphorae, and animal bones. A 2021 excavation found an intact thermopolium with identifiable food residues including duck, pig, snails and fish.
Cosa mangiavano i Romani?
What did the Romans eat?
Broad question — diet varied enormously by social class.
Il garum cos'era?
What was garum?
Roman fish sauce — one of the most important condiments in the ancient world.
Il pane romano somigliava al pane di oggi?
Did Roman bread resemble today's bread?
Carbonised Pompeian bread loaves have been found — remarkably similar to modern ciabatta.
Roman 'garum' (fish sauce) was the ketchup of the ancient world — used in virtually every dish, produced in vast quantities along the Italian coast. Modern Italian 'colatura di alici' from Cetara in Campania is considered its direct descendant and is deeply prized by Italian chefs.