A source of both nutrition and pleasure, food is also a booming commercial enterprise with a long, storied history. This tour allows visitors to mix archeology and culinary history in order to better understand the commercial aspect of Rome’s cuisine throughout its many eras . Our time begins in the ancient produce and cattle markets near the Tiber River before proceeding to the base of the Capitoline Hill. A site for ancient animal sacrifice, these locations provide a fascinating glimpse into the importance of animals in religious rituals and in the economy of the ancient world.  Other well-known but sometimes misunderstood sites,  such as at the Circus Maximus, will also demonstrate how cuisine was used as a means to satisfy and manipulate the ancient Roman population. 

We then move to Testaccio, an area where both ancient and more modern archeological ruins testify to the diets and tastes of Romans from antiquity to the present day. Issues of waste disposal, regulation, importation, and economics are all ripe for discussion as we discover the evolution of food commerce in Testaccio and the larger city. Our time concludes with a stroll through one of the neighborhood’s former slaughterhouses, to complete our understanding of how a local area with strong roots in the food trade has evolved over time.

Please note, this tour includes a lot of walking and, unlike my other culinary tours, does not include significant food tastings — though a stop for a snack along the way can be arranged!