Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0415232597, Hardcover)

Sensual yet pre-eminently functional, food is of intrinsic interest to us all. It was a necessity and pleasure in ancient times as well, although the ingredients used often varied from what would appeal to modern tastes.

In this informative and entertaining reference work, Andrew Dalby, explores an encyclopaedic range of foods (and drinks) known from the Greek and Roman worlds.

Entries range from a few lines to a couple of pages. They encompass individual foodstuffs such as catfish, gazelle, peaches and parsley, as well as utensils, ancient writers on food, and a vast array of other topics, drawn from classical literature, history and archaeology, along with examinations of modern scholarship.

Approachable, reliable and fun, this A-Z explains and clarifies a subject that crops up in numerous classical sources, from plays to histories and beyond. It also gives references to useful primary and secondary reading.

It will be an invaluable companion for students, academics and gastronomes alike.