Excellent, very accurate. I’m Greek and the modern Greek diet is still very similar to the ancient one. The use of wheat, beef and cows milk has increased a little, and of course, the variety of fruits and vegetables has increased exponentially, as all over the modern world. Potatoes, pasta and rice have also been added, but don’t replace bread with every meal, perhaps just a little less is eaten when a meal has these additional starches. One piece of bread for a woman or two for a man at each meal is common. A salad with lettuce, tomato, cucumber and red onion and/or beets, feta cheese, and olive oil, wine vinegar and salt is still very popular for lunch. Greeks also never overeat, all meals are rich in produce, and we eat sitting at tables, not on the go, pleasant conversation is part of the meal.
I was born in the fifties .south Pelloponeese. The diet was almost the same as three thousands years ago.breakfast for the kids was boiled milk with bread.a snack about 10/10.30 am consisted of a boiled egg ,with feta or some other White cheese with bread.lunch depended on the condition the mother was present ,because most of the times was with the father and the older children ,toiling in the small allotments of land that were inherited from previous generations.the life cycle.October we had the first rains and barley and wheat were sowed before till mid November ,before the bitter cold of winter arrived.great period for foraging for mushrooms,wild asparagus etc.also a good period for hunting wild migrating birds.eaten grilled.spring the diet changed to broad bean,peas artichokes and potatoes later on.summer brought an abundance of fruits,wheat, barley ,wild vegies etc.also not to forget the olive oil.olives were picked during auttum. We were finnising with plowing and started with olive picking.we have the Koroni (κορωνη) type of trees that grow very tall and live for hundreds of years.ours were from the ninety century onwards.needless to say we were consuming oil like hell.but after the olives were pressed and oil extracted ,it had to be tested for a period off a month due to high acidity.none had fat deposits or high cholesterol,because olive oil burns fat like a hot knife going through butter.also there is only one olive oil.the modern distinction is the method of mixing different oils
@@denissaliaj9459 naturally.the climate is almost the same,colder in the northern regions,neigborous for a long time.so the basic ingredients of 5he food is the same
@@tassiek2450 exactly. Also food is the easiest aspect of a culture to be shared also with neighbours. While i studies greek mythology i found many similiarities with the "diet of the village" that our grandpas ate.
@@denissaliaj9459 if you read the ancients historianswork,you will see that the historian Thukidides writes that a thousand years before Greeks and Thracians had the roughly the same traditions.food stuffs I reckon were similar and cooking dependent on region and availability
I live in Andalucía, Spain and the food here is very similar-fresh bread, local olives and olive oil, a lot of fresh seafood, fresh produce, cheeses, etc. It's basically a Mediterranean diet.
Take me back to Andalucía 😢❤❤❤ I missed the local cuisine so much, it helped that I had family friends from there who were more than happy to show us everything besides the tourist go to’s. One thing that always stands out in this region if it isn’t the incredible food, its the natural beauty and the warmth of the people.
I visited my woman in Catalan. The food was cheaply priced and decent at the restaurants (I went to), with a light appetizer (if I recall correctly), a main meal and a small, but delightful dessert, as well as a glass of wine (I drank soda) all for about $10 a person. I'm sure the price has gone up a little since then, but it was great. I guess you were supposed to take your time and enjoy it, instead of shoveling it down your throat, like we generally do in America for lunch. Also I enjoyed simple bread grilled with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil and a tomato and garlic rubbed onto the bread. I wish I could enjoy olives, but the ordinary olives here (America) in brine tastes bitter and inedible to me.
I was born in Kastoria, Greek Macedonia, I remember waking up as a 5 year old, packing pita bread, olives and feta cheese for lunch, going into the surrounding mountains to hunt poisonous snakes which I hated. Never once got bitten.
@@ΧΑΡΑΛΑΜΠΟΣΛΑΜΠΡΟΥ-γ7φ you actually typify why macedonians are less greek (and look up vardaska you dont know what you are talking about)whilst you go on about domination the universally admired greeks gave the world the basis of modern civilsation unlike the macedonians and spartans who were merely warlike
This is so very interesting. Thank you very much. We ourselves have started to make our own bread from ancient grains which we mill ourselves. Not only does it tastes wonderful but it is much healthier for our bodies. Eva
I grew up in a small village in north India. My mom, aunt, and grandma used to cook food in the backyard. Stoves were fueled by dung cakes, wood, and leaves. We kids used to help serve the food. We used to sit in the backyard on a rug and eat with our fingers. Spoons and knives were for special purposes only. Mustard oil (not olive oil) was used in cooking, deep frying, and dressing the salad/snack, pickling, and in lamps. Mustard oil was also used during bathing, moisturizing and massages, and sports events. The backyard and the house had mud floors. There were fruit trees and vegetable plants in the backyard.
They say a third of Earth's population eat with forks and knives, a third eat with chopsticks and a third eat with their hands. I prefer the first two, unless I can thoroughly wash my hands before and after eating.
@@tilasole3252 the finger eating DEMANDS clean hands - hell, I live in the part that eats with forks and knives, and even then I wash my hands thoroughly before and after every meal!
Thank you for this video! As a native Greek living in the US I still keep my Greek diet: breakfast is bread slices with butter and raw honey, milk (raw milk preferably, either goat or cow milk) later on boiled eggs [super easy) with bread and then liver with lettuce, salads with olive oil and vinegar, legums( lentils, beans, chickpeas), a lot of olives, cheese (feta or kasseri yellow cheese, some other hard cheese as well), lamb, yogurt, rice pudding with cinnamon etc, all healthy
Brilliant video. Yes, politics, philosophy and battles are very important to know. But what you presented here is simply so much interesting and enjoyable. Thanks for that, really!
My grandfather used to eat Akratisma for breakfast before going to the fields to work, a piece of homemade bread dipped in homemade wine. I eat the same meal sometimes but mostly in the evening. I am Greek.
This is such a fantastic 'mini documentary', perfectly articulated for learning and straight to the point. The visuals make it easy to remember the information and take notes. I'd love to watch more about other countries & cultures, thank you.
Hello from Macedonia Greece We literally eat the same stuff to this day except the fish sauce.. and adding few more vegetables that came after like peppers or potatoes but your whole clip were on point indeed the islanders or region close to the sea would eat lot more fish and mountain region more of meat milk cheeses ofc city states were trading but is normal or in agricultural places they would eat more veggies ..common always was /is Wine, olive oil .but today we eat everything you mentioned in Greece Once or twice meat with vegies and fish day per week and the other days the rest lentil, chickpeas, leek etc
@@krono5el that's what I said potatoes is very recent add to the Greek cuisine after 1800 About peppers yes obviously came later as well maybe middle ages after to the region. About olive oil and olives is traditional to the Greeks idk if it's to other civilizations as well aroud the Mediterranean I guess they produced too that's not mean is not native to us the most ancient olive trees existing in Greece currently and still produce olive oil more than 2k/ 3k y.o And archeologically was the first product Greeks used to trade in Mediterranean sea and wine. Also considered as smth sacred For the Greeks connected to our paganistic religion.
@@fenrirgg True that. I admit to enjoying nuts and seeds on a daily basis because I bake them into my bread, and what would a sandwich made from that bread be without a spread of peanut butter? Lacking says I.
@@aa-vk6hd Yes, beans. You know. Those things accountants count? *"Ancient Greek cuisine,"* Wikipedia (not my ordinary go to source for information but beans and pulses haven't been politicized yet, have they?): Black beans, Broad beans, Chickpeas, Lupine beans, Lentils, Garden peas, etc.
Wood was also used to make charcoal, which was essential for smelting iron, simple wood fires don’t get nearly hot enough. Much of Europe was denuded of its forests for this reason during the Iron Age. Greece has never recovered from its deforestation, which has also contributed to soil erosion, so the land is probably less fertile than it was in the Bronze Age and earlier. Mineral coal seems to have been known in Europe in the past, but wasn’t widely used for smelting until the early Industrial Age, perhaps it was cheaper to make charcoal than mine coal, if the wood was available.
- 02:29 🍽️ The diet of Ancient Greeks varied by region, urban or rural setting, and social status, but shared many common traits. - 02:46 🥖 Greeks typically had four meals a day, with "deipnon," the final meal at night, being the most substantial. - 03:38 🏛️ The "agora" was the central market where Greeks bought food, especially items they couldn’t produce themselves. - 04:09 🍴 Cooking was typically done by women, often outside, and meals were served on clay bowls; wine and water were common drinks. - 05:07 👩🍳 While cooking was mostly done by women, some men became professional cooks, writing cookbooks and preparing meals for wealthy families. - 05:58 🌾 Barley was the most prevalent cereal, used to make "maza," a common barley bread; wheat was also cultivated but less abundant. - 07:17 🫒 Olives and olive oil were central to Greek life, used in food, lighting, bathing, and sports, with the olive tree being sacred, especially in Athens. - 08:18 🥗 Vegetables were important but fresh ones were often expensive for city dwellers; garlic was a favorite ingredient. - 10:00 🧀 Dairy products, especially cheese from goat milk, were widely consumed, with milk being more common in rural areas. - 11:43 🐐 Goats and sheep were the primary livestock, suitable for Greece’s mountainous terrain, while pigs were more common in cities. - 13:12 🍖 Meat consumption varied by region, being more common in rural areas; pork was the most accessible meat in cities. - 15:41 🎯 Hunting was popular among the elite, with wild game considered tastier and more expensive than livestock meat. - 16:28 🐟 Seafood was a staple in coastal regions, with different classes consuming different types of fish. - 17:51 🍇 Fruits, especially figs, were beloved by Greeks, often consumed as dessert; grapes were also important, especially for wine. - 18:52 🌰 Nuts were widely consumed, often accompanying fruits, and were also used to make oils; spices were essential in Greek cuisine. - 19:47 🍯 Honey was the primary sweetener, used in various sweets and drinks, and was considered a gift from the gods. - 21:01 ⚖ Moderation in food was a virtue in Greek culture, famines and food shortages were common, especially in overpopulated areas like Attica.
Very interesting video. I learned quite a few things I didn't know before like where 'syssitio' came from! However, I'm hugely surprised you didn't mention SPELT. That's something Greeks used to cultivate and eat often. Spelt flour was used to make bread.
This series of videos is very educational and interesting. It fills a void left by the study of History focused on wars, political events, literature and art.
Very accurate.let us not forget Alexander's conquests also impacted diet as fruits and vegetables from the east came to the Greeks before to the Romans. Thereafter Romans had Egypt to provide most of their food
Interesting video. Modern Greek diet is based on similar premises, some dishes even remain the same after thousands of years! Sadly, with the introduction of junk food to Greece some decades ago many have changed their daily eating habits and that has harbored health dangers. My opinion is that whatever grows in a certain land is best for consumption for the people living there, following the seasons and what is ripe, I personally try to stick close to this original Mediterranean diet model as much as possible. Honey with greek yoghurt and nuts still remains one of my most favorite delicacies, and I love different types of bread (although in moderation) since I find those connecting me to chthonic powers, Demeter talking to me this way. I prefer fish to meat and I think I'm not the only one. Figs, yes, connected with Dionysus (not just grapes or wine), are perhaps my most preferred of fruits, Persephone's pomegranates as well, antioxidant and so nourishing. And if I had to choose between meat or cheese, well cheese would be my choice. Lentils soup (still called "fakes") is usually still cooked at least once a week. Our cuisine is simple, still based on extra virgin olive oil and lots os salads and vegetables, not complicated dishes are best for digestion as well as our nervous system. Traditional forms of pasta and pies could perhaps complete the picture.
It's really cool that you can get some Greek food with ancient origins 24 hours in some diners,especially in New Jersey.Baklava,avgolemono and pastitsio at 4AM? Doesn't get any better than that.
Baklava is Greek and evolved from the placenta cake. There are clear predecessors to baklava in Greek cuisine, none of which is found in Turkish cuisine. Ottoman =/= Turkish, especially when the majority of Ottoman citizens were of Greek heritage.
There's no authentic nor ancient food in any restaurant and especially in a diner in USA... America is where good food goes to die. Baklava and yogurt are Turkish btw as is their name...
Thanks for this video. It is very detailed and presented in a lovely manner. I am always interested in the everyday lives of people in other places and times.
the breakfast ws mentioned to be bread dipped in wine. My grandfather's brekfast consisted of bread dipped in olive oils; makes more sense than wine. bread dipped in wine was given to us kids to cultivate the taste but also to teach future moderation
Thanks for an interesting and educational video. Beautiful recordings of places and not least the information about the foods that the Greeks of the past could consume, depending on their place of residence and their wallet. It is thought-provoking to see how many of the displayed items from that time are also sold in food markets today, apart from the overseas items such as tomatoes, potatoes, bananas, etc. which only came into being after the Middle Ages. Freshly baked Greek bread is still a delicious treat, just like the dessert yogurt with honey and walnuts is a must-try when you are on holiday in Greece.
Interesting, thanks. For myself I'm always interested in the life of the average citizens, all we ever read about are those who made in the history books.
For a few decades now, in historiography, there are more and more studies made to put the average citizens back in the spotlight after so many decades of mostly political and largely focused on leaders.
Super informative, and I love the style, thank you for your efforts! One side-question - do you plan to cover the connection Thracians had with ancient Greece? Or even explore the Thracians in some video? I think topics such as 'divinity of wine', warfare or mythology in the ancient Greek world could provide interesting side-notes about the Thracians. Sadly there are few sources about them and there doesn't seem to be a video of such quality about them (with few exceptions). Good day to you!
Thank you very much for your kind words! I plan to cover the history of many ancient cultures from Western Europe to the Balkans and Anatolia, including the Thracians. I am afraid though that I will not make a video about the Thracians in the near future, as I have already plans for the next 6-8 videos. I think that I will cover this subject once we reach the classical period in the Ancient Greek series. Once we reach this point I do want to make a video both about the Thracians and their connection with the ancient Greeks. I appreciate your support!
In Greek Mythology According, there was a ancestor named Thrace who was the son of the god of war Mars. The god Mars was said to have lived in Thrace. In another version and according to Euripides (in his work The Thracians the Golden Shields) he mentions that the name of Mars was Thrace, who was the protector of the Thracians and whose golden shield was kept in his temple in Vistonida of Thrace. In Greek mythology, Thrace was the daughter of Oceanus and the Parthenope, the sister of Europe. The Thracians appear in Homer's Iliad as allies of the Trojans led by Akamas and Piro or Pyrrhus. Later in the Iliad, another king appeared, Risos, who was killed after a night raid by Diomedes and Odysseus on the Trojan camp. Another mythological king of the Thracians was Kisseus, who lived in what was then western Thrace and later Macedonia, who was the father of the Trojan elder Antinor. It should be noted here that Homeric Thrace extended to the Axios River to the west, the Hellespont and the Black Sea to the east. It extended north to present-day Serbia and the whole of Bulgaria. Greek mythology is full of Thracian kings such as: Diomedes of Thrace, Tireas, Lycurgus, Phineas, Evmolpos, Polymnistor, Oiagros (father of Orpheus) and others. Also, the tribe that Homer called Thrace included many tribes, because ancient Thrace was a place of residence of tribes such as the Idonians who lived in the area between the rivers Strymon and Nestos, the Visalts who lived in the area between the rivers Axios and Strymon, the Kikones area of today's Rodopi, the Vistones, the Doviers, the Mygdons, the Satrai, the Absinthe and many others.adjectives, theonyms, toponyms with very Greek names, so we do not need to say to which ethnicity they belong ...
From an archaeologist specializing in ancient organics: well researched and presented - thanks! ADDENDUM: it would be an improvement if you killed the ‘muzak’.
Thank you! I really appreciate it. I have thought about that, but when I did a poll on my Instagram, most of the people voted in favour of the music. Maybe I will do a RUclips poll later on when I reach a greater number of subscribers.
The music is not that bad, it is a bit too loud as well as the lecturer's stressed syllabs that turn the remaining into barely intelligible. Otherwise, very interresting. I apologize for my harshness in criticism, it would take too much time to praise the good work so, I chose the shorter way :))))
@@robertnortan87 No worries, any feedback is appreciated! I always try to balance the music, but can't seem to get it right in most of my videos, many times it turns out to be too loud or too quiet. As for your comments about the lecturer, if the channel becomes more successful, than we will probably consider a more professional narration. Thank you for your kind words. :)
Very interesting. I'm reading, slowly, The Odessey, and have just finished Tim Severin's "The Ulysses Voyage." So much of the Odessey has to do with food and sacrifices, and your video really clarifies that. One comment though. The music is a little too loud, making it hard to understand what you are saying. This seems to be a common RUclips problem.
Thank you! I get various comments about the music, some are in favour of adding music in my videos while others are against. I've tried to lower the volume in my most recent videos, however I always add my own subtitles, in order for people to listen to what I'm saying, in case the music is too loud.
An excellent presentation, well detailed. I want to find and listen to the background music you chose, is there any help you can give me on this point? Thanks!
Fun fact: the ancient Greeks believed that there were 3 seasons. Spring, Summer, and Winter. Spring started in late February/early March when the flowers bloomed and the wheat and barley got taller and thicker. Summer started in late June/early July when the barley and wheat were harvested. There wasn't a lot of food available in summer. Winter started in late October/ early November and this was when there was plenty of food . The fields were plowed and the barley, wheat, and other seeds planted right before the rainy, cold winter weather started. The rain made the seeds sprout and grow. It wasn't until Roman times that the ancient Greeks adopted the Roman's 4 seasons
@@TheSamuiman yes, ive been to the tropics multiple times. But only during the dry season and it is too hot, but to the people there its fine, its the humid season thats bad for them. I can't imagine how that feels when the dry season is too much for me 😰
im an American woman and my regular diet consists of chickpeas, oats, some tomatoes, olive oil, some olive soaked tuna, some whole grain breads, plain olive, cheese, dates, grapes, and I drink wine every day for breakfast with some hummus and bread. It's cool knowing the history behind some of the things we do. Top teir diet. I occasionally have lamb, beef, or chicken, and I eat pickled eggs as a snack. I feel good.
1. In terms of beans, there is one inaccuracy. They couldn't have had what we nowadays call (common) beans. These were brought much later from the Americas. 2. In terms of fruits they also had pears. 3. Their cherries weren't much of what one imagines today as a cherry. Theirs were either sour or a bit bitter. Much smaller too. Semi wild cherries. 4. About Loquats - impossible that they even knew such thing existed. 5. Beech Nuts taste great, except that they are somewhat toxic. One can eat them but only in small quantities and not very often. Oh, one more thing, they also knew about the existence of Black Pepper. But since it was imported from Asia through ancient trade routes it was very expensive, and probably the wealthier people had access to it only.
Very interesting video. However, the diet of the Greek islands differed a little from the places in your video, as they were fishermen and ate fish almost daily. A hog was slaughtered once a year, usually in October, and the meat was made into smoked sausage, which was consumed in small amounts, usually added to eggs and potatoes as an omelet, during the winter months. Pork was not eaten during the summer, nor were most beans, as they were (and still are) considered too heavy to digest in summer heat. All this is still true on my father's island of Andros in the Aegean. Fish is sadly not as prevalent now, but the boats still go out and fish can be purchased daily, although it is now more expensive than in my younger years. Beautiful green island, btw.
@@rennor3498 because fat people weren't considered as beautiful? I mean, if you want to draw someone on your potteries, you would choose someone that you consider as beautiful, not an ugly person.
@@subliminalfalllenangel2108 First of all, societies back then where much more warlike and placed emphasis on the human's fitness and ability to look well, because a good body represented efficiency in combat or more physical beauty. The scenes in pottery functioned as form of ancient propaganda and as an inspirastion for how society would desire a man and a women to look like.
The modern supermarket is a big thing we take for granted (Its impressive they were able to produce most of these goods themselves And with old technology I should add)
I am an Indian citizen. I really love Greek diet. I would say the best diet for body. Greek diet provide beautiful body that's why Greeks are beautiful, especially girls 😍.
Very interesting and well researched. Sorry, there are so many overly critical comments (especially the political ones). It must be a lot of work, to put such a video together.
It does indeed require a lot of work. I don't really mind such comments, except when someone clearly misinterprets something I said and/or showed in the video or just plainly insults me for no reason :P . Otherwise some comments are on the side of constructive criticism, which is good. I always appreciate when someone really enjoys the video and finds it interesting. Thank you for your kind words! :)
Great vid! Very informative indeed! If I'm not wrong, Aristophanes named the Thracians "beefeaters", ironically, because in Attica the regular consume of beaf was extraordinary.😂
Excellent, very accurate. I’m Greek and the modern Greek diet is still very similar to the ancient one. The use of wheat, beef and cows milk has increased a little, and of course, the variety of fruits and vegetables has increased exponentially, as all over the modern world. Potatoes, pasta and rice have also been added, but don’t replace bread with every meal, perhaps just a little less is eaten when a meal has these additional starches. One piece of bread for a woman or two for a man at each meal is common. A salad with lettuce, tomato, cucumber and red onion and/or beets, feta cheese, and olive oil, wine vinegar and salt is still very popular for lunch. Greeks also never overeat, all meals are rich in produce, and we eat sitting at tables, not on the go, pleasant conversation is part of the meal.
Where are you from? From Kalamata?
Greeks never overeat?! Dunno what type of greek u are then you have never been to a souvla 🤣🤣
Most overweight poulation in Europe…
I understand it though, as I love greek food!
Greek food is so fresh and delicious. But I’ll disagree with the size of Greeks, I saw some overweight Greeks on my trips to Greece.
@@pfranks75 too many of em actually!
I was born in the fifties .south Pelloponeese. The diet was almost the same as three thousands years ago.breakfast for the kids was boiled milk with bread.a snack about 10/10.30 am consisted of a boiled egg ,with feta or some other White cheese with bread.lunch depended on the condition the mother was present ,because most of the times was with the father and the older children ,toiling in the small allotments of land that were inherited from previous generations.the life cycle.October we had the first rains and barley and wheat were sowed before till mid November ,before the bitter cold of winter arrived.great period for foraging for mushrooms,wild asparagus etc.also a good period for hunting wild migrating birds.eaten grilled.spring the diet changed to broad bean,peas artichokes and potatoes later on.summer brought an abundance of fruits,wheat, barley ,wild vegies etc.also not to forget the olive oil.olives were picked during auttum. We were finnising with plowing and started with olive picking.we have the Koroni (κορωνη) type of trees that grow very tall and live for hundreds of years.ours were from the ninety century onwards.needless to say we were consuming oil like hell.but after the olives were pressed and oil extracted ,it had to be tested for a period off a month due to high acidity.none had fat deposits or high cholesterol,because olive oil burns fat like a hot knife going through butter.also there is only one olive oil.the modern distinction is the method of mixing different oils
As an Albanian i can tell that ours is the same
@@denissaliaj9459 naturally.the climate is almost the same,colder in the northern regions,neigborous for a long time.so the basic ingredients of 5he food is the same
@@tassiek2450 exactly. Also food is the easiest aspect of a culture to be shared also with neighbours. While i studies greek mythology i found many similiarities with the "diet of the village" that our grandpas ate.
@@denissaliaj9459 if you read the ancients historianswork,you will see that the historian Thukidides writes that a thousand years before Greeks and Thracians had the roughly the same traditions.food stuffs I reckon were similar and cooking dependent on region and availability
@@tassiek2450 of course. Also we share a lot of cultural aspects as historical neighbours
I live in Andalucía, Spain and the food here is very similar-fresh bread, local olives and olive oil, a lot of fresh seafood, fresh produce, cheeses, etc. It's basically a Mediterranean diet.
Heaven..
Take me back to Andalucía 😢❤❤❤ I missed the local cuisine so much, it helped that I had family friends from there who were more than happy to show us everything besides the tourist go to’s. One thing that always stands out in this region if it isn’t the incredible food, its the natural beauty and the warmth of the people.
I visited my woman in Catalan. The food was cheaply priced and decent at the restaurants (I went to), with a light appetizer (if I recall correctly), a main meal and a small, but delightful dessert, as well as a glass of wine (I drank soda) all for about $10 a person. I'm sure the price has gone up a little since then, but it was great.
I guess you were supposed to take your time and enjoy it, instead of shoveling it down your throat, like we generally do in America for lunch.
Also I enjoyed simple bread grilled with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil and a tomato and garlic rubbed onto the bread. I wish I could enjoy olives, but the ordinary olives here (America) in brine tastes bitter and inedible to me.
Love from Romania 🇷🇴 Orthodox brother's Greece 🇬🇷 ❤️ amazing culture and history.
❤
I was born in Kastoria, Greek Macedonia,
I remember waking up as a 5 year old, packing pita bread, olives and feta cheese for lunch, going into the surrounding mountains to hunt poisonous snakes which I hated. Never once got bitten.
Macedonia are ONLY greek the others is vardarska
That's the childhood I wish I had. Cheers mate.
Why did you hunt snakes? Were they for food or did people want to rid them out of danger?
@@ΧΑΡΑΛΑΜΠΟΣΛΑΜΠΡΟΥ-γ7φ you actually typify why macedonians are less greek (and look up vardaska you dont know what you are talking about)whilst you go on about domination the universally admired greeks gave the world the basis of modern civilsation unlike the macedonians and spartans who were merely warlike
Do you guys still do the buggery thing? Eating ass?
I understand now why ancient greek writers would write so highly of the countryside, clearly they had the best food there!
Yogurt!
I love picking fresh berry's and eating them on the spot truly nature's gift!
This is so very interesting. Thank you very much. We ourselves have started to make our own bread from ancient grains which we mill ourselves. Not only does it tastes wonderful but it is much healthier for our bodies. Eva
I grew up in a small village in north India. My mom, aunt, and grandma used to cook food in the backyard. Stoves were fueled by dung cakes, wood, and leaves. We kids used to help serve the food. We used to sit in the backyard on a rug and eat with our fingers. Spoons and knives were for special purposes only. Mustard oil (not olive oil) was used in cooking, deep frying, and dressing the salad/snack, pickling, and in lamps. Mustard oil was also used during bathing, moisturizing and massages, and sports events. The backyard and the house had mud floors. There were fruit trees and vegetable plants in the backyard.
They say a third of Earth's population eat with forks and knives, a third eat with chopsticks and a third eat with their hands. I prefer the first two, unless I can thoroughly wash my hands before and after eating.
@@tilasole3252 the finger eating DEMANDS clean hands - hell, I live in the part that eats with forks and knives, and even then I wash my hands thoroughly before and after every meal!
@@Jamhael1 although I am the same way, if you can't, clean utensils are the next best thing. Disposable chopsticks are great
@@tilasole3252 if food is holy, and cleaniness is the closest to godliness, therefore clean hands are sacred respect.
@Jamhael1 just good hygene
Thank you for this video! As a native Greek living in the US I still keep my Greek diet: breakfast is bread slices with butter and raw honey, milk (raw milk preferably, either goat or cow milk) later on boiled eggs [super easy) with bread and then liver with lettuce, salads with olive oil and vinegar, legums( lentils, beans, chickpeas), a lot of olives, cheese (feta or kasseri yellow cheese, some other hard cheese as well), lamb, yogurt, rice pudding with cinnamon etc, all healthy
Are you a CEO or something? Who can afford the time and money to make all that in the morning?? I can't even spare 30mins for tea
@@BichaelStevens That does sound a huge, time consuming breakfast, but it sure made me hungry reading about it.
olive oil, rice, and beans are not native to europe
@@krono5el olive oil is not native to Europe? What are u talking about ?( The others yes)
Very good!
Brilliant video. Yes, politics, philosophy and battles are very important to know. But what you presented here is simply so much interesting and enjoyable. Thanks for that, really!
Thank you, I really appreciate it!
The food we eat now in greece especially in the islands is very similar to what our ancestors ate
Italy is similar.
In mainland the last 80 years it is not,
Not the youngers
@@grip2617that time was the same
My grandfather used to eat Akratisma for breakfast before going to the fields to work, a piece of homemade bread dipped in homemade wine. I eat the same meal sometimes but mostly in the evening. I am Greek.
Excellent work in a very demanding and rather unknown subject. Congratulations.
Thank you! I really appreciate it.
This is such a fantastic 'mini documentary', perfectly articulated for learning and straight to the point. The visuals make it easy to remember the information and take notes. I'd love to watch more about other countries & cultures, thank you.
Thank you for your kind words and I am sorry about the late reply. I am glad you enjoyed the video!
Those olive trees are magnificant
Hello from Macedonia Greece
We literally eat the same stuff to this day except the fish sauce.. and adding few more vegetables that came after like peppers or potatoes but your whole clip were on point indeed the islanders or region close to the sea would eat lot more fish and mountain region more of meat milk cheeses ofc city states were trading but is normal or in agricultural places they would eat more veggies ..common always was /is
Wine, olive oil .but today we eat everything you mentioned in Greece
Once or twice meat with vegies and fish day per week and the other days the rest lentil, chickpeas, leek etc
My partner is Macedonian. I only know small words like yes or no. Could. I prefer. Thank you.
peppers, potatoes, and olive oil, are not native to europe. those are other people traditional foods adopted by europe.
@@krono5el that's what I said potatoes is very recent add to the Greek cuisine after 1800
About peppers yes obviously came later as well maybe middle ages after to the region.
About olive oil and olives is traditional to the Greeks idk if it's to other civilizations as well aroud the Mediterranean I guess they produced too that's not mean is not native to us the most ancient olive trees existing in Greece currently and still produce olive oil more than 2k/ 3k y.o
And archeologically was the first product Greeks used to trade in Mediterranean sea and wine.
Also considered as smth sacred
For the Greeks connected to our paganistic religion.
@@christine5839 right on. yeah i know wine is def european.
We also added regular doses of gyros, burgers, pizza and everything fried in our diet.
I ate fakai soup yesterday for lunch. It was pretty good
Bread, onions, cheese, beans, olives, seasonal greens, fish, figs and wine.
What more does one need?
Peanuts of course, but they went to Europe later.
@@fenrirgg True that. I admit to enjoying nuts and seeds on a daily basis because I bake them into my bread, and what would a sandwich made from that bread be without a spread of peanut butter? Lacking says I.
Beans in Ancient Greek?
@@aa-vk6hd Yes, beans. You know. Those things accountants count?
*"Ancient Greek cuisine,"* Wikipedia (not my ordinary go to source for information but beans and pulses haven't been politicized yet, have they?): Black beans, Broad beans, Chickpeas, Lupine beans, Lentils, Garden peas, etc.
@@aa-vk6hd Beans are a gift of the Americas, as far as I know. But the ancient world knew Fava or broadbeans.
Wood was also used to make charcoal, which was essential for smelting iron, simple wood fires don’t get nearly hot enough. Much of Europe was denuded of its forests for this reason during the Iron Age. Greece has never recovered from its deforestation, which has also contributed to soil erosion, so the land is probably less fertile than it was in the Bronze Age and earlier. Mineral coal seems to have been known in Europe in the past, but wasn’t widely used for smelting until the early Industrial Age, perhaps it was cheaper to make charcoal than mine coal, if the wood was available.
Very interesting!
Trees were also used to build ships and houses.
your idea is definitely correct. it's massively easier to make charcoal than to mine anything.
That’s a cool tidbit of knowledge!
A lot of trees where clear cut to make way for agriculture anyway, so it’s probably best they at least recycled them to smelt.
- 02:29 🍽️ The diet of Ancient Greeks varied by region, urban or rural setting, and social status, but shared many common traits.
- 02:46 🥖 Greeks typically had four meals a day, with "deipnon," the final meal at night, being the most substantial.
- 03:38 🏛️ The "agora" was the central market where Greeks bought food, especially items they couldn’t produce themselves.
- 04:09 🍴 Cooking was typically done by women, often outside, and meals were served on clay bowls; wine and water were common drinks.
- 05:07 👩🍳 While cooking was mostly done by women, some men became professional cooks, writing cookbooks and preparing meals for wealthy families.
- 05:58 🌾 Barley was the most prevalent cereal, used to make "maza," a common barley bread; wheat was also cultivated but less abundant.
- 07:17 🫒 Olives and olive oil were central to Greek life, used in food, lighting, bathing, and sports, with the olive tree being sacred, especially in Athens.
- 08:18 🥗 Vegetables were important but fresh ones were often expensive for city dwellers; garlic was a favorite ingredient.
- 10:00 🧀 Dairy products, especially cheese from goat milk, were widely consumed, with milk being more common in rural areas.
- 11:43 🐐 Goats and sheep were the primary livestock, suitable for Greece’s mountainous terrain, while pigs were more common in cities.
- 13:12 🍖 Meat consumption varied by region, being more common in rural areas; pork was the most accessible meat in cities.
- 15:41 🎯 Hunting was popular among the elite, with wild game considered tastier and more expensive than livestock meat.
- 16:28 🐟 Seafood was a staple in coastal regions, with different classes consuming different types of fish.
- 17:51 🍇 Fruits, especially figs, were beloved by Greeks, often consumed as dessert; grapes were also important, especially for wine.
- 18:52 🌰 Nuts were widely consumed, often accompanying fruits, and were also used to make oils; spices were essential in Greek cuisine.
- 19:47 🍯 Honey was the primary sweetener, used in various sweets and drinks, and was considered a gift from the gods.
- 21:01 ⚖ Moderation in food was a virtue in Greek culture, famines and food shortages were common, especially in overpopulated areas like Attica.
Beautifully made documentary with nice music and stunning visuals. Also highly accurate and well structured. Not to mention tasty.
Thank you kindly!
Very interesting! Few people talk about the everyday life of ancient Greeks.
Thank you!
yes very interesting .... with your "roman" agora ...what more ?
all the planet know the roman world ...... agora .... bastards
I just put this on in the side and it was the most pleasant time studying. Thank you for doing these cant wait to listen to more.
one of the best presented history videos on youtube! thank you very much.
This is making me hungry! 😊🍇🍞🫒🧀
Watching this as I eat dinner. 👌
Lovely! Very informative! ...and I loved the quote from Antiphanes! Thank you!
Thank you kindly! You're the first one to comment about the quote. :)
a great video with lots of useful information, thank you a lot!
Great video! Just the right amount of history and myth but mostly about the food. Kept my interest!
Thanks for making this
Amazing video! I was surprised to see that it only has 1.5k views. You are underrated
Thank you, I'm glad you liked it!
Very interesting video. I learned quite a few things I didn't know before like where 'syssitio' came from! However, I'm hugely surprised you didn't mention SPELT. That's something Greeks used to cultivate and eat often. Spelt flour was used to make bread.
Go to 20:50. He did mention spelt flour.
@@7A54G8 Ok, he did. I was thinking about bread. Thanks!
In my culture we make lentil soup and we dry out the chickpeas (chana is what we call it) and season it with salt and pepper as a crunchy snack
I was eating crunchy chickpeas as I read your comment.
I would love a companion video about the food and drink of Ancient Rome. 😊
Great idea! I actually already have a number of videos in the making so I can't do it in the near future but I definitely will eventually.
Ancient Rome also O think took and ate the fish sauce called Garos.
Brilliant video! Instant subscription ✌🏼
Thank you, I appreciate it! :)
Very interesting, thank you for uploading.
This series of videos is very educational and interesting. It fills a void left by the study of History focused on wars, political events, literature and art.
Thanks a lot for making such a great video! It was a topic that interested me a lot and it also helped me with my school project:)
That's great to hear, I'm glad I could help! :)
Very accurate.let us not forget Alexander's conquests also impacted diet as fruits and vegetables from the east came to the Greeks before to the Romans. Thereafter Romans had Egypt to provide most of their food
Alexander the Great and his soldiers were eating sea buckthorn (among other things).
Interesting video. Modern Greek diet is based on similar premises, some dishes even remain the same after thousands of years! Sadly, with the introduction of junk food to Greece some decades ago many have changed their daily eating habits and that has harbored health dangers. My opinion is that whatever grows in a certain land is best for consumption for the people living there, following the seasons and what is ripe, I personally try to stick close to this original Mediterranean diet model as much as possible. Honey with greek yoghurt and nuts still remains one of my most favorite delicacies, and I love different types of bread (although in moderation) since I find those connecting me to chthonic powers, Demeter talking to me this way. I prefer fish to meat and I think I'm not the only one. Figs, yes, connected with Dionysus (not just grapes or wine), are perhaps my most preferred of fruits, Persephone's pomegranates as well, antioxidant and so nourishing. And if I had to choose between meat or cheese, well cheese would be my choice. Lentils soup (still called "fakes") is usually still cooked at least once a week. Our cuisine is simple, still based on extra virgin olive oil and lots os salads and vegetables, not complicated dishes are best for digestion as well as our nervous system. Traditional forms of pasta and pies could perhaps complete the picture.
It's really cool that you can get some Greek food with ancient origins 24 hours in some diners,especially in New Jersey.Baklava,avgolemono and pastitsio at 4AM? Doesn't get any better than that.
Baklava is Turkish and it's a dessert
Baklava is Greek and evolved from the placenta cake. There are clear predecessors to baklava in Greek cuisine, none of which is found in Turkish cuisine. Ottoman =/= Turkish, especially when the majority of Ottoman citizens were of Greek heritage.
@@HOPEfullBoi01 you shouldn't say such things to a greek patriot. lol.
@@JayCocalari That's simply incorrect. It doesn't even come from western Anatolia. It's from the south.
There's no authentic nor ancient food in any restaurant and especially in a diner in USA... America is where good food goes to die. Baklava and yogurt are Turkish btw as is their name...
Beautiful video .Thank you .
I love your video. Clear and concise. Thank you!
Clear? Lol. Don't be mean.
I love it, well done my friend!
Thank you my friend!
absolutely brilliant. thank you very much. :)
Excellent documentary, great narrative and well picked pictures and music.
Congratulations!
Thank you, I appreciate it! :)
Thanks for this video. It is very detailed and presented in a lovely manner. I am always interested in the everyday lives of people in other places and times.
Thank you for your useful information like this.❤ keep it a great work.
Thank you! I appreciate your kind words.
the breakfast ws mentioned to be bread dipped in wine. My grandfather's brekfast consisted of bread dipped in olive oils; makes more sense than wine. bread dipped in wine was given to us kids to cultivate the taste but also to teach future moderation
It was however part of diet. And we still do it in the Greek church.
Really liked, very informative
Μπράβο πολύ ωραίο, μαζί με τα παιδιά μάθαμε πράγματα που δεν είναι ευρέως γνωστά.
Thank you. I'm glad to hear that!
very much enjoyed, thanks
Very interesting. Thanks 😉
Thanks for an interesting and educational video. Beautiful recordings of places and not least the information about the foods that the Greeks of the past could consume, depending on their place of residence and their wallet.
It is thought-provoking to see how many of the displayed items from that time are also sold in food markets today, apart from the overseas items such as tomatoes, potatoes, bananas, etc. which only came into being after the Middle Ages.
Freshly baked Greek bread is still a delicious treat, just like the dessert yogurt with honey and walnuts is a must-try when you are on holiday in Greece.
Very interesting and informative video, thank you!
Such a great video! I was mesmerized! Well done :)
Thank you very much, I'm glad you liked it! :)
Interesting, thanks. For myself I'm always interested in the life of the average citizens, all we ever read about are those who made in the history books.
For a few decades now, in historiography, there are more and more studies made to put the average citizens back in the spotlight after so many decades of mostly political and largely focused on leaders.
Such a nice relaxing channel.
What a great video. Least I owe you is a subscription.
This channel needed a comeback, I loved the videos on the goths. notification bell is on [=
Thank you, I appreciate it!
Beautiful presentation
Thank you. :)
Super informative, and I love the style, thank you for your efforts!
One side-question - do you plan to cover the connection Thracians had with ancient Greece? Or even explore the Thracians in some video? I think topics such as 'divinity of wine', warfare or mythology in the ancient Greek world could provide interesting side-notes about the Thracians. Sadly there are few sources about them and there doesn't seem to be a video of such quality about them (with few exceptions).
Good day to you!
Thank you very much for your kind words!
I plan to cover the history of many ancient cultures from Western Europe to the Balkans and Anatolia, including the Thracians. I am afraid though that I will not make a video about the Thracians in the near future, as I have already plans for the next 6-8 videos. I think that I will cover this subject once we reach the classical period in the Ancient Greek series. Once we reach this point I do want to make a video both about the Thracians and their connection with the ancient Greeks.
I appreciate your support!
What about Thracians. Are you one of them? I believe you are Slav. What is the connection you search?
Thrakians were also greeks
In Greek Mythology According, there was a ancestor named Thrace who was the son of the god of war Mars. The god Mars was said to have lived in Thrace. In another version and according to Euripides (in his work The Thracians the Golden Shields) he mentions that the name of Mars was Thrace, who was the protector of the Thracians and whose golden shield was kept in his temple in Vistonida of Thrace. In Greek mythology, Thrace was the daughter of Oceanus and the Parthenope, the sister of Europe.
The Thracians appear in Homer's Iliad as allies of the Trojans led by Akamas and Piro or Pyrrhus. Later in the Iliad, another king appeared, Risos, who was killed after a night raid by Diomedes and Odysseus on the Trojan camp. Another mythological king of the Thracians was Kisseus, who lived in what was then western Thrace and later Macedonia, who was the father of the Trojan elder Antinor. It should be noted here that Homeric Thrace extended to the Axios River to the west, the Hellespont and the Black Sea to the east. It extended north to present-day Serbia and the whole of Bulgaria.
Greek mythology is full of Thracian kings such as: Diomedes of Thrace, Tireas, Lycurgus, Phineas, Evmolpos, Polymnistor, Oiagros (father of Orpheus) and others. Also, the tribe that Homer called Thrace included many tribes, because ancient Thrace was a place of residence of tribes such as the Idonians who lived in the area between the rivers Strymon and Nestos, the Visalts who lived in the area between the rivers Axios and Strymon, the Kikones area of today's Rodopi, the Vistones, the Doviers, the Mygdons, the Satrai, the Absinthe and many others.adjectives, theonyms, toponyms with very Greek names, so we do not need to say to which ethnicity they belong ...
really well done Excellent work thankyou
I'm glad you like the video!
Thanks for the video!
Thanks! This was helpful :)
Absolutely loved this ❤
From an archaeologist specializing in ancient organics: well researched and presented - thanks! ADDENDUM: it would be an improvement if you killed the ‘muzak’.
Thank you! I really appreciate it. I have thought about that, but when I did a poll on my Instagram, most of the people voted in favour of the music. Maybe I will do a RUclips poll later on when I reach a greater number of subscribers.
The music enhances the video. Always include it it please
@@demetridongas2554 I will keep that in mind, thank you for the feedback. :)
The music is not that bad, it is a bit too loud as well as the lecturer's stressed syllabs that turn the remaining into barely intelligible.
Otherwise, very interresting. I apologize for my harshness in criticism, it would take too much time to praise the good work so, I chose the shorter way :))))
@@robertnortan87 No worries, any feedback is appreciated! I always try to balance the music, but can't seem to get it right in most of my videos, many times it turns out to be too loud or too quiet. As for your comments about the lecturer, if the channel becomes more successful, than we will probably consider a more professional narration. Thank you for your kind words. :)
I liked the video thank you
Very interesting. I'm reading, slowly, The Odessey, and have just finished Tim Severin's "The Ulysses Voyage." So much of the Odessey has to do with food and sacrifices, and your video really clarifies that.
One comment though. The music is a little too loud, making it hard to understand what you are saying. This seems to be a common RUclips problem.
Thank you! I get various comments about the music, some are in favour of adding music in my videos while others are against. I've tried to lower the volume in my most recent videos, however I always add my own subtitles, in order for people to listen to what I'm saying, in case the music is too loud.
An excellent presentation, well detailed. I want to find and listen to the background music you chose, is there any help you can give me on this point? Thanks!
Thank you! Yes of course, it is a song called 'Taksim' by Feras Charestan. You can find it on the Epidemic music's channel.
Fun fact: the ancient Greeks believed that there were 3 seasons. Spring, Summer, and Winter. Spring started in late February/early March when the flowers bloomed and the wheat and barley got taller and thicker. Summer started in late June/early July when the barley and wheat were harvested. There wasn't a lot of food available in summer. Winter started in late October/ early November and this was when there was plenty of food . The fields were plowed and the barley, wheat, and other seeds planted right before the rainy, cold winter weather started. The rain made the seeds sprout and grow.
It wasn't until Roman times that the ancient Greeks adopted the Roman's 4 seasons
Same in the tropics: a hot season, a very hot season and a sh*t hot season! 😂
@@TheSamuiman yes, ive been to the tropics multiple times. But only during the dry season and it is too hot, but to the people there its fine, its the humid season thats bad for them. I can't imagine how that feels when the dry season is too much for me 😰
I'm not Greek, but I like old Greek myth movies and AC Odyssey. Wish to go one day, healthy,simple
I love these videos cause it shows how little the Mediterranean diet has changed
Well thought out.
Thank you!
excellent content! i'm loving these.
well informed, well presented, just well done overall.
(what's the picture at 17:35 btw?)
Thank you very much! It is a painting of an ancient port by Lancelot-Théodore Turpin de Crissé.
@@historicaladventurevideos thank YOU for the great content! do keep it up
This is very informative I really enjoyed it
What a sweet video.
im an American woman and my regular diet consists of chickpeas, oats, some tomatoes, olive oil, some olive soaked tuna, some whole grain breads, plain olive, cheese, dates, grapes, and I drink wine every day for breakfast with some hummus and bread. It's cool knowing the history behind some of the things we do. Top teir diet. I occasionally have lamb, beef, or chicken, and I eat pickled eggs as a snack. I feel good.
I also love goat cheese, it's so versatile and flavorful. Can be used in dessert or snack or dinner. goes well with hummus is very important.
1. In terms of beans, there is one inaccuracy. They couldn't have had what we nowadays call (common) beans. These were brought much later from the Americas.
2. In terms of fruits they also had pears.
3. Their cherries weren't much of what one imagines today as a cherry. Theirs were either sour or a bit bitter. Much smaller too. Semi wild cherries.
4. About Loquats - impossible that they even knew such thing existed.
5. Beech Nuts taste great, except that they are somewhat toxic. One can eat them but only in small quantities and not very often.
Oh, one more thing, they also knew about the existence of Black Pepper. But since it was imported from Asia through ancient trade routes it was very expensive, and probably the wealthier people had access to it only.
Hmm. I did not know that fact about beech nuts. No wonder you dont find them in stores
Homer wrote in the Iliad that the Iliad (8th century BCE) about beans and chickpeas
@@simonsays6557 Yes, but those were Fava Beans, also known as Broadbeans.
Very similar to modern Greek diet . Only additions are pasta , rice and potatoes
Very interesting video. However, the diet of the Greek islands differed a little from the places in your video, as they were fishermen and ate fish almost daily. A hog was slaughtered once a year, usually in October, and the meat was made into smoked sausage, which was consumed in small amounts, usually added to eggs and potatoes as an omelet, during the winter months. Pork was not eaten during the summer, nor were most beans, as they were (and still are) considered too heavy to digest in summer heat. All this is still true on my father's island of Andros in the Aegean. Fish is sadly not as prevalent now, but the boats still go out and fish can be purchased daily, although it is now more expensive than in my younger years. Beautiful green island, btw.
Sounds like a diet more healthy than most of the world today.
Why do you think we never see any fat people in ancient Greek pottery and sculptures?
@@rennor3498 because fat people weren't considered as beautiful? I mean, if you want to draw someone on your potteries, you would choose someone that you consider as beautiful, not an ugly person.
@@subliminalfalllenangel2108 First of all, societies back then where much more warlike and placed emphasis on the human's fitness and ability to look well, because a good body represented efficiency in combat or more physical beauty.
The scenes in pottery functioned as form of ancient propaganda and as an inspirastion for how society would desire a man and a women to look like.
Everyone ate a better diet in those days
@@rennor3498 you spoke of it as if it was a bad thing.
Excellent!!!! Thank you.
You did fabulous on this I watched it twice
Thank you!
Excellent video, many thanks!
Thank you!
The wheat pictured on your video is dwarf wheat. No more amber waves of wheat which were tall and swayed in the wind.
Yes, sadly I can only post copyright-free images so this really restricts the choices I have for the visuals of my videos.
Amazing!
The modern supermarket is a big thing we take for granted
(Its impressive they were able to produce most of these goods themselves And with old technology I should add)
Excellent
Thanks!
Thank you
I am an Indian citizen. I really love Greek diet. I would say the best diet for body. Greek diet provide beautiful body that's why Greeks are beautiful, especially girls 😍.
Looking for pics of bobs and vageen dude?
No mention of types of fish and wild horta and meat products I felt it should have been longer or apart 2 available
Very interesting and well researched.
Sorry, there are so many overly critical comments (especially the political ones). It must be a lot of work, to put such a video together.
It does indeed require a lot of work. I don't really mind such comments, except when someone clearly misinterprets something I said and/or showed in the video or just plainly insults me for no reason :P . Otherwise some comments are on the side of constructive criticism, which is good. I always appreciate when someone really enjoys the video and finds it interesting. Thank you for your kind words! :)
ευχαριστώ, thanks
Subscribed!
Very good and very comprehensive. I studied human ecology ay university. This video could be used in those courses.
Great vid! Very informative indeed! If I'm not wrong, Aristophanes named the Thracians "beefeaters", ironically, because in Attica the regular consume of beaf was extraordinary.😂
I find the background music quite disturbing,makes listening quite tough!
My Famoly in Rural Greece still eats like this.