Sources about women in the kitchen or at the table in ancient times are unfortunately scarce. By scraping together ancient text fragments, images, and archaeological remains, a picture of the woman’s role in the culinary world gently unfolds.
The household
In the better circles, the lady of the house made sure that the household ran smoothly. She directed staff and slaves, managed and controlled supplies, and took care of household purchases for the kitchen and table settings.
In the city, she regularly went to markets and shops to buy fresh products, such as meat, fish, and
