"The history of dining is a story that cannot be told without archaeology. Surviving texts tell of the opulent banquets of the wealthy elite, but little attention is given to the simpler, more intimate social gatherings of domestic invitation dinners. This is especially true of the lower classes who are largely ignored by our sources. We can, however, provide a voice for the underprivileged by turning to the material detritus of ancient cultures that reflects their social history. Dining at the End of Antiquity brings together the material culture and literary traditions of Romans at the table to reimagine dining culture as an integral part of Roman social order. Through a careful analysis of the tools and equipment of dining, Nicholas Hudson uncovers significant changes to the way different classes came together to share food and wine between the fourth and sixth centuries. Reconstructing the practices of Roman dining culture, Hudson explores the depths of new social distances between the powerful and the dependent at the end of antiquity"-- Provided by publisher.
Bibliographic references
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Contents
Introduction : Roman tables
'We should invite friends' : the written evidence
'Bring the couch red with fine linen' : the physical elements of atmosphere
'Lordly dishes' : table equipment
'Gleaming paneled vaults' : architecture, furniture, and lighting
Images of communion
'For the sake of eating' : patrons at the table
'For the sake of living' : clients at the table
'None should suffer wrong' : social justice and division at the end of antiquity.
ISBN
9780520391451 (hardcover)
0520391454 (hardcover)
LCCN
2024003571
OCLC
1426854892
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