I taught two classes at Altantian University last Saturday, 2/13/21, and had some questions arise from students that I did not have answers for at the time. I promised a blog post within a week with whatever information I could find while doing some “quick research”. Those answers are contained here.

Necromancy — Did the Ancient Romans practice any form of preventing their dead from rising again?

This just isn’t my research area, but here are some extra links that you can dig into and see if you can find that answer! Feel free to send me an email (arria.marina@gmail.com) if you find the answer!

#13: Ancient Necromancy

Roman and Greek Necromancy

Lay That Ghost: Necromancy in Ancient Greece and Rome

Funeral Garments — What color were the funeral garments worn by Ancient Roman women?

Black was the Roman color of death and mourning. In Roman poetry, death was called the hora nigra, the black hour. In the 2nd century BC Roman magistrates began to wear a dark toga, called a toga pulla, to funeral ceremonies. Later, under the Empire, the family of the deceased also wore dark colors for a long period. The black toga of mourning and its exchange for a white one after a ritual bath and then worn at a banquet (cena novendialis) can be found in Cicero, Against Vatinius, 13.

A student reminded me that Plutarch, a Greek philosopher and writer who lived from 45-120 AD, wrote in Moralia: Roman Questions 26, that women wore white to the funerals. I cannot speak to this difference in research findings: just as Plutarch hypothesized in his writings about why they wore white, I can only surmise guesses as to why he wrote that they did. I found plenty of evidence that black is the color worn while in mourning. Specifically, in Ovid, Metamorphoses, 6.568a, upon hearing of the death of her sister, Procne “induiturque atras vestes” — put on black clothes. Later, in 8.448, Althaea did the same when she saw her slaughtered sons in the temple.

Chickens — What breeds were most common in the first century?

Columella, a first century soldier who wrote about the agriculture he saw while on campaigns, talks about chickens and chicken breeding in Book 8 of De Re Rustica. The most common breed of chickens was the Dorking. The other breeds he mentions are Median, Tanagrian, Rhodic, and Chalkidic.

Pears — Were the pears in the first century edible as raw fruit, or did they have to be cooked first?

In De Agricultura, I-LII, 21, Cato wrote about the varieties of pears: “of pears, the volema, the Anician frost-pears (these are excellent when preserved in boiled wine), the Tarentine, the must-pear, the gourd-pear, and as many other varieties as possible”. He also discussed about the preservation of pears stating: “Preserve sorbs in boiled must; or you may dry them; make them quite free from moisture. Preserve pears in the same way.” From this quick glance, I would think that preserved pears were more common than eating them raw.

Poisonous Herbs — Will you please update your handouts to mention the herbs we now know should not be eaten?

Absolutely! I did discuss these during the class lecture, but you are absolutely correct, they SHOULD be listed on the handouts in case anyone finds them on the Web without the benefit of a class instruction. The handout has been updated!

Substitute MINT for pennyroal. Substitute FENUGREEK SEED for rue when cooking, or CHICKORY, ENDIVE, or DANDELION when eaten raw in a salad.

For those curious, the student wrote to me the following information:

Allspice — Why do you mention the use of Allspice in your foods class when it wasn’t predominantly used until the 14th century?

Great question! The recipe calls for the use of crushed and ground myrtle berries, but that is no longer a common cooking ingredient. Allspice is in the same family as myrtle berries, and makes a wonderful substitution. Sometimes herbs used in period just aren’t a practical use now!