From Lorenzo.Smerillo@worldnet.att.net Sat Jun 30 12:29:45 2001
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Date: Sat, 30 Jun 2001 21:26:33 +0200
From: L:Smerillo <Lorenzo.Smerillo@worldnet.att.net>
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To: classics@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: pedica satur :fu TAN COFFEE
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Alfred M Kriman wrote:
> The recent thread on caffeine led me to the OCD3, where I read
> that the Romans, so far as we know, ate very light breakfasts and a
> large meal later (originally the largest meal was at noon). 

Indeed, and it seems that the breakfast was usually some form of bread,
but also olives, raisins and sometimes cheese, and perhaps mulsum, a
mixture of honey and wine, or milk and eggs, with variations according
to wealth. The which perhaps answers my own question of how the ancient
Romans awakened themselves, or quickened: it seems to be a glucose
and/or salt stimulant (similar to a cornetto e caffé, but I know of
remote areas of Italy where cheese and bread are the usual breakfast)
but Al Kriman would know more about the chemical details.

> BTW: what mention is there of lubrication?  In its absence, irritation
> would have been common, though I suppose the absence of effective
> toilet paper would have compensated somewhat.

I thought they used water and sponges to clean, and that some evidence
of this is found at Ostia Antica. But what of olive oil, seems as does
saliva obvious?

feliciter,

Lorenzo Smerillo
Biblioteca Nazionale Protocenobio Sublacense (ROMA)
.