Ancient Roman Banquets

This paper carries out a systematic study of the food and feast in Ancient Rome, and analyzes the reason of its development and its cultural function. As one of the most important aspects of Ancient Roman life, it is closely related to religion, politics, economy, culture, the rise and decline of Ancient Rome and has a profound effect on them. Therefore, the study will help us to have a further understanding of the social characteristics of Ancient Rome and the cause of the decay of Roman Empire.This paper consists of three chapters. In the first chapter, the paper explores the food and the life of the people in the early Roman Republic. And it shows that the frugal eating at that time is the product of the specific historical conditions.In the second chapter, the paper emphasizes the development of eating habits of people in Ancient Rome, especially the feast of ancient Roman aristocracy. The luxurious feast is the major feature during the rise and decline of Roman Empire. Then, the paper analyzes the reason of this change. It points out that the influx of wealth is the inherent reason and the spread of oriental culture and the lifting of external threats are the external reason.In the third chapter, the paper, based on the research and analysis above, probes further into the effect of feasts on Ancient Rome, pointing out that on one hand, it met the need for life of the ancient Romans, on the other hand, it wasted tremendous social wealth, accelerating the decay of morality in Roman society at that time. So, in my opinion, we should treat this problem comprehensively and dialectically.