Gastronomy/Food in antiquity/Dates and figs
Appearance
Dates and figs fresco from the House of the Deer, Herculaneum [[[Wikipedia:Herculaneum|Herculaneum]]] (before 79 AD, probably 2nd Pompeian style [[[Wikipedia:Pompeian Styles|Pompeian Styles]]] )
Roman custom of giving dates, figs, honey, and small coins to celebrate the New Year on the 1st of January. Here are dates with small coins and figs on a platter.
Ovid, Fasti 1, 185-190 (published 8 AD)
- 'quid volt palma sibi rugosaque carica' dixi
- 'et data sub niveo candida mella cado?'
- 'omen' ait 'causa est, ut res sapor ille sequatur
- et peragat coeptum dulcis ut annus iter.'
- 'dulcia cur dentur video: stipis adice causam,
- pars mihi de festo ne labet ulla tuo.'
Martial 13, 27 (Xenia, published 84 AD around Saturnalia)
XXVII Petalium caryotarum
[edit | edit source]- Aurea porrigitur Iani caryota Kalendis;
- Sed tamen hoc munus pauperis esse solet.
- The golden date is offered during the calends [[[Wikipedia:Calends|calends|Calends|calends]]] of Janus [[[Wikipedia:Janus|Janus|Janus|Janus]]]
- However this is usually a gift of the poor