Contributor:
Hala Hawas
While discussing Ancient Roman meals, I gave the children examples of the types of food that rich Romans used to eat. They ate things like stuffed dormice, peacocks, peacocks’ tongues, little mice, peahens’ eggs, ostriches, snails, bread and olives. The Romans ate for hours and would sometimes go to a room called the vomitorium, making themselves sick so that they can eat some more.
After providing the children with the facts, I asked them to design a menu card for a Roman Restaurant (on A4 paper folded in half). The menu had to include a list of the dishes served, the prices written in Roman numerals (paid in gold coins) and a description of the services provided, e.g. private vomitorium, catering private banquets etc. They had to give the restaurant a Roman name and use Roman designs to decorate the menu card.
The children really enjoyed the lesson and came up with beautiful and very creative ideas for the menus. This is one part of history they will never forget.