The taste of religion in the Roman world

Abstract

As well as providing an overview of taste and mainstream Roman religion through sacrifice and feasting, this article highlights some of the specific tastes, and possible menus, of Roman religion. I explore how archaeologists can use the evidence from plant remains, animal bones and objects, such as ceramics, to explore taste. I look at what evidence we have for the main taste groups: sweet, salty, bitter and sour. Case studies are drawn from the northwestern provinces and the Middle East with a focus on Mithraism and the worship of Mercury. I draw out how religious tastes differed from everyday life, and how these differed from god to god and from god to human in an effort to answer the question: what did Roman religion taste like?