Special module:
Private Dining in Ancient Rome
Watch this video to learn about private dining in ancient Rome with Dr. Nadhira Hill of Randolph-Macon College.
About the scholar:
Dr. Nadhira Hill is an Assistant Professor of Classical Studies and Archaeology and Director of Archaeological Studies at Randolph-Macon College. She earned her BA in Classical Studies from the same institution in 2016, before earning her PhD in Ancient Mediterranean Art and Archaeology from the University of Michigan in 2023. Dr. Hill's research interests include households, drinking practices, ceramic production, and cultural interaction in 5th and 4th century B.C.E. Greece. Since 2014, she has participated in several archaeological projects in Greece, including the Athenian Agora Excavations (2014-2017), the Olynthos Project (2017-present), and the Pella Urban Dynamics Project (2022-present). In addition to her research, Dr. Hill is the author of the blog Notes from the Apotheke, which supports and highlights the work of scholars of color studying the ancient world, for which she was awarded the Women’s Classical Caucus’s Public Scholarship Award for 2021-2022.
Further Reading:
Megan Daniels, “Blog Post #50: The Story of Garum and Other Adventures in Roman Food with Sally Grainger,” Peopling the Past, 2022.
John H D'Arms, "Performing Culture: Roman Spectacle and the Banquets of the Powerful," in The Art of Ancient Spectacle, eds. Bettina Bergmann & Christine Kondoleon. Yale University Press, 1999.
Katherine M. D. Dunbabin, The Roman Banquet: Images of Conviviality. Cambridge University Press, 2003.
Nina Martyris, “The Lavish Roman Banquet: A Calculated Display of Debauchery and Power,” NPR, 2019.
Roger Pearse, Martial, Epigrams. Book 10. Bohn’s Classical Library (1897), 2008.
Latin Vocabulary:
Words in bold on DCC Latin Core Vocabulary List
Nouns:
convīvium, convīviī, n. – banquet, feast
epulum, epulī, n. – feast, banquet, festive entertainment
cēna, cēnae, f. – dinner
vīnum, vīnī, n. – vine, wine
ātrium, ātriī, n. – reception hall
domus, domūs, f. – house, home
trīclīnium, trīclīniī, n. – dining room, where three couches are laid out for dining around a small serving table
lectus, lectī, m. – bed, couch, sofa
gustātiō, gustātiōnis, f. – appetizer, first course of a meal
mēnsa, mēnsae, f. – a table; a table of food, meal, course, feast