1.3 Vegetarianism and other exceptional diets

Today, vegetarianism is relatively mainstream; people refuse to eat meat on religious grounds, or for moral or health reasons. But in the ancient world, although people ate relatively little meat, being completely vegetarian was regarded as very odd. One group advocated vegetarianism as well as the avoidance of beans: the Pythagoreans. These were the people who, throughout antiquity, lived by the principles first expounded by the philosopher Pythagoras (sixth century BCE).

Figure 3 Portrait of Emperor Rudolf II as Vertumnus, the Roman god of the seasons, growth, plants and fruit

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Image of a portrait of a bearded man, whose features and body are made up of fruit, vegetables and flowers of all seasons. So, for example, his nose is depicted by a pear, his cheeks by apples, his hair by grapes, plums, pomegrantes, cherries, figs and cornstalks; a wreath of flowers, including roses, lilies, tulips and poppies, descends from his right shoulder and across his chest.

Figure 3 Portrait of Emperor Rudolf II as Vertumnus, the Roman god of the seasons, growth, plants and fruit

Next you will consider the archaeological evidence for food and health.