Frits Heinrich
Vrije Universiteit Brussel, History Department, Faculty Member
Among classicists, archaeobotanists and agricultural historians, the meaning of the word phasolus (ϕασηλος in Greek) is ambiguous. While Latin scholars have agreed that the word refers to a type of pulse or bean, there are various... more
Among classicists, archaeobotanists and agricultural historians, the meaning of the word phasolus (ϕασηλος in Greek) is ambiguous. While Latin scholars have agreed that the word refers to a type of pulse or bean, there are various interpretations and subsequent identifications as to which botanical species is meant. The current paper aims to address this ambiguity by assessing the validity of the proposed interpretations. This will be done on three levels. First, the a priori feasibility of the interpretations will be ascertained. Second, all classical mentions of phasolus, both in Greek and Latin, will be reviewed and analysed. The aim of this step is to find what biological traits and characteristics were associated with phasolus, which may aid in confirming or rebuking an identification. Thirdly, we will assess the archaeobotanical evidence pertaining to the proposed interpretations for the Roman period. This paper includes the assessment of several classical sources previously a...
Research Interests: Engineering, Philology, Classics, Greek Literature, Latin Literature, and 15 moreArchaeobotany, Egyptian Archaeology, Food History, History Of Food Consumption, Classical philology, Ancient Greek History, Palaeobotany, History of Food, Ambiguity, Ancient Greek Agriculture, Fabaceae, Egyptian archaeobotany, Classical Philology, History of Cooking and Food Culture, and Phaseolus Beans
Research Interests: History, Nutrition, US, Food, Health, and 6 moreHunger, Growth, Malnutrition, Child Malnutrition, Anachronism, and Wheat Grain
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This article aims to contribute to the limited literature on traditional gastronomic knowledge concerning acorn-based bread by ethnographically documenting the ingredients, preparation techniques and consumption practices of baked goods... more
This article aims to contribute to the limited literature on traditional gastronomic knowledge concerning acorn-based bread by ethnographically documenting the ingredients, preparation techniques and consumption practices of baked goods made from acorn seeds and flour that are still used today or at least still present in living memory. A qualitative comparative case method was adopted, and ethnographic data were gathered from 67 people in six selected Mediterranean, Central Asian and Middle Eastern countries. The analysis highlighted distinct trajectories in the development of acorn-based bread, showing some differences in terms of ingredients, preparation techniques and baking methods in the two cultural and geographical macro-regions. By exploring the evolution of the alimentary role of acorn bread in the past century, our findings also support the hypothesis that the product, at least during the last two centuries, has mostly been used as a famine food. By acknowledging the cult...
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17 APRIL 2023, 1 to 6 p.m. Salle Solvay, Buidling NO, 5th floor, Campus de la Plaine, Université Libre de Bruxelles (MS TEAMS available)
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This article aims to contribute to the limited literature on traditional gastronomic knowledge concerning acorn-based bread by ethnographically documenting the ingredients, preparation techniques and consumption practices of baked goods... more
This article aims to contribute to the limited literature on traditional gastronomic knowledge concerning acorn-based bread by ethnographically documenting the ingredients, preparation techniques and consumption practices of baked goods made from acorn seeds and flour that are still used today or at least still present in living memory. A qualitative comparative case method was adopted, and ethnographic data were gathered from 67 people in six selected Mediterranean, Central Asian and Middle Eastern countries. The analysis highlighted distinct trajectories in the development of acorn-based bread, showing some differences in terms of ingredients, preparation techniques and baking methods in the two cultural and geographical macro-regions. By exploring the evolution of the alimentary role of acorn bread in the past century, our findings also support the hypothesis that the product, at least during the last two centuries, has mostly been used as a famine food. By acknowledging the cult...
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"Introductory research summary of NWO (Sustainable Humanities program) funded PhD project 'Productive Landscapes. An interdisciplinary inquiry into the productivity of crop husbandry in the Roman Empire: 200 B.C. – A.D. 500' in the PhD... more
"Introductory research summary of NWO (Sustainable Humanities program) funded PhD project 'Productive Landscapes. An interdisciplinary inquiry into the productivity of crop husbandry in the Roman Empire: 200 B.C. – A.D. 500' in the PhD Introduction section of the Dutch archaeological periodical TMA (Tijdschrift voor Mediterrane Archeologie).
For an English summary see the post 'Productive Landscapes. An interdisciplinary inquiry into the productivity of crop husbandry in the Roman Empire: 200 B.C. - A.D. 500 -- NWO English summary --' also in the 'papers' section on this profile. "
For an English summary see the post 'Productive Landscapes. An interdisciplinary inquiry into the productivity of crop husbandry in the Roman Empire: 200 B.C. - A.D. 500 -- NWO English summary --' also in the 'papers' section on this profile. "
Research Interests: Roman History, Anthropology of Food, Food History, Agricultural Economics, Ancient economies (Archaeology), and 10 moreAgriculture, Graeco-Roman Egypt, Roman Economy, Roman Egypt, Animal Husbandry, Ancient economy, Roman agriculture, Fishing, Ancient Roman economy, trade and commerce, and Fish Farming
This project will inquire into the productivity of crop husbandry in the Roman Empire between 200 B.C. and A.D. 500. Until c. A.D. 200 the population of the Empire significantly rose, alongside the appearance of strong indicators of... more
This project will inquire into the productivity of crop husbandry in the Roman Empire between 200 B.C. and A.D. 500. Until c. A.D. 200 the population of the Empire significantly rose, alongside the appearance of strong indicators of increased prosperity; this means there were more people, who were on average eating more. This would have necessitated an increase of agricultural production and of productivity. The central question that will be addressed in this research is how Roman farmers could meet these increasing demands. Nevertheless, in the Malthusian paradigm for pre-modern agricultural economies, an increase of productivity is unthinkable. Technological improvements were absent or marginal, the amount of land limited, while the only way of increasing productivity - employing more labour per unit of land - decreased the productivity per unit of labour. The applicant believes that an innovative approach towards choices for agricultural practices and crops enabled farmers to increase their productivity and meet the higher demands. The aim of this study will be to understand which the choices were that Roman farmers made within the context of the potential of their respective landscapes, climates and market conditions. The approach to answering the question raised above, will be through case studies (settlements, regions) with a focus on studying (existing) archaeobotanical datasets in combination with written sources and other types of archaeological evidence to reconstruct practices and crop-choices on a local level. The results of this inquiry will be interpreted through a model containing the factors and relations that can motivate strategic choices. Such a model would be constructed using theories and examples drawn from anthropology, ethnography, ethnoarchaeobotany, agricultural and socioeconomic history and relevant written sources. The innovative and interdisciplinary approach of the proposed research towards a meta-analysis of the agricultural economy, will enable it to answer questions on the structure and performance of Roman agriculture that were previously unreachable. The answers to these questions will touch upon the very foundation of the Roman economy and will shed a light on the reasons and extent of its success.
Research Interests: Ancient History, Botany, Landscape Ecology, Archaeology, Human Evolution, and 65 moreRoman History, Climate Change, Stable Isotope Analysis, Archaeobotany, Paleoclimatology, Conservation Biology, Landscape Archaeology, Poverty, Economic Growth, Paleobotany, HIV/AIDS, Governance, Food History, Gender, Biology, Ancient economies (Archaeology), Ecology, Food Production, Origins of Agriculture, Vegetation Ecology, Forest Ecology, Graeco-Roman Egypt, Archaeological Theory, Agricultural History, Archaeology of Beer and Cereal Fermentation, Agricultural extension, Roman Economy, Ancient Agriculture & Farming (Archaeology), Roman Egypt, Animal Husbandry, Food Security, Arqueología, Ancient economy, Ancient Food, Roman social and economic history, Ancient Near Eastern Economy, Biodiversity Research, Roman agriculture, Institutions, Fishing, Roman trade, commerce and the economy, Ancient Landscapes, Prehistoria, Ancient Agriculture, Roman land use and the agrarian economy, Ancient Roman economy, trade and commerce, Fish Farming, Pre-Roman Italy, Ancient Food and Drink, Soil Fertility, Campania, Paleobotánica, Rural Livelihood Strategies, Ecological Agriculture, Landscape and Land-use-history, Roman Archaeology, Alpine and Arctic Research, Small scall Irrigation, Development Policies and Strategies, Crop Nutrition, Rice wheat Cropping System, Zinc & Iron Agronomic Biofortification of Major Cereal Crops, Mediterranean Environment and Ecology, Ancient Land use, and Paleopsychology
For a good understanding of ancient food economies, quantitative data are indispensable. Quantitative data on variables such as income, taxes and food prices can aid us in reconstructing living standards, socioeconomic inequality and... more
For a good understanding of ancient food economies, quantitative data are indispensable. Quantitative data on variables such as income, taxes and food prices can aid us in reconstructing living standards, socioeconomic inequality and economic performance in past societies, and even allow comparisons through time and space. This contribution quantifies data on grain shipments and sailors’ rations from the recto of P. Amiens + P. Baldwin (Ramesside period, mid-20th Dynasty). The text records the transport of grain by a fleet of 21 cargo vessels belonging to the temple of Amen-Re at Karnak that was supplied by various domains. This paper quantifies the volume, weight, edible weight and corresponding energetic value of the cargo and calculates the minimum size of the domains and number of individuals that could be fed with these grain deliveries. The rations of the sailors are also quantified and compared with wages and prices from Deir el Medina. This paper also demonstrates that, contrary to common scholarly opinion, emmer wheat was more expensive than barley during the Ramesside period.
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In this paper we present the results of the archaeobotanical analysis of impressions of plant remains encountered in the profile and on the surface of clay fragments of ṭāwabīn. The fragments originate from Mamluk contexts at the site of... more
In this paper we present the results of the archaeobotanical analysis of impressions of plant remains encountered in the profile and on the surface of clay fragments of ṭāwabīn. The fragments originate from Mamluk contexts at the site of Tall Hisban located in southern Bilad as-Sham (modern Jordan and Palestine). This study models the formation process of the botanical component of the ṭābūn as a context and explores the underlying processes explaining the presence of the different kinds of impressions. After providing a description of the ṭābūn and consulting historical and ethnographic descriptions, we present our model and interpret the results of the archaeobotanical analysis through it. Furthermore, the archaeobotanical data obtained from the analysis of ṭābūn fragments helps contribute to the knowledge of the Tall Hisban food economy. The importance of barley at the site during this period is not only reflected through ṭābūn fragments, but more importantly are proxies for economic activities in the village.
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This paper aims to assess the accessibility of pepper to average Roman consumers in terms of price by quantifying the cost of ‘meaningful’ culinary pepper consumption. To this end, by performing measurements on modern pepper samples, we... more
This paper aims to assess the accessibility of pepper to average Roman consumers in terms of price by quantifying the cost of ‘meaningful’ culinary pepper consumption. To this end, by performing measurements on modern pepper samples, we first quantify Roman pepper prices and units of measurement more concretely. What was the cost of a peppercorn, and how many were there to the libra and other units? We then define and quantify ‘meaningful’ pepper consumption using modern consumption statistics and cooking data. Subsequently we compare these data to Roman incomes. We show that, if only looking at price, regular culinary pepper consumption would even have been possible for lower income consumers. In addition, we also used our method to quantify the value of amounts of pepper in literary sources and archaeological finds. We look in more detail at Apicius’ De Re Coquinaria, which features many recipes with infeasibly high quantities of pepper. We show that in most recipes where the amount of pepper is explicitly quantified and large, whole peppercorns instead of ground pepper was used. We show that this excessive yet inefficient usage of pepper as ‘garnish’ is a form of conspicuous consumption. We argue this may be a response to normal, efficient pepper use, becoming too commonplace and not distinctive enough for elites. We also explore the price difference between the different types of pepper the Romans consumed. We explain these differences from the perspective of production cost through assessing traditional production processes and agronomic statistics.
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Socioeconomic archaeologists and historians are often interested in the reconstruction of conjectures of past production and consumption, as such conjectures may provide us with better insights into the structure, scale and nature of the... more
Socioeconomic archaeologists and historians are often interested in the reconstruction of conjectures of past production and consumption, as such conjectures may provide us with better insights into the structure, scale and nature of the ancient economy and inform us about levels of prosperity. In this article the author has teamed up with this school of thought, and has constructed a conjecture of public constructions in Roman Italy for the period between 225 BC and AD 425. The reconstruction of this conjecture was essentially achieved by placing many (dated) occurrences of public constructions from a large dataset by Hélène Jouffroy (Jouffroy 1986) in a chronological order. Because of some methodological improvements such a thing could be done with far greater precision and much more data than in past assessments of the data by, amongst others, Hélène Jouffroy and Richard Duncan Jones (Duncan Jones 1974;1990). In addition the author discusses and counters various possible biases in both the data and his method and presents the reader with some interpretative concepts, most notably ‘the temporality of consumption’. Though a conjectural approach from its outset is economic, the author interprets his results not solely from an economic perspective but firstly from within the socio-cultural and political context of euergetism. In his article Frits Heinrich shows that the number of new public constructions in Italy reached its zenith during Augustus’ reign, while the enjoyment of the services public buildings offered may have been greatest during the reign of Antoninus Pius. He furthermore shows, as far as public constructions are concerned, that that which is usually referred to as the ‘third century crisis’ seems to commence as early as the second half of the second century A.D.
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This article deals with public constructions in Roman Africa (between 50 B.C. and A.D. 425) from an economic-archaeological and conjectural perspective. Economic archaeologists and historians are always interested in conjectures of past... more
This article deals with public constructions in Roman Africa (between 50 B.C. and A.D. 425) from an economic-archaeological and conjectural perspective. Economic archaeologists and historians are always interested in conjectures of past production and consumption as to gain insights into the structure, scale and degree of successfulness of the ancient economy and its changes through time. As to reconstruct such a conjecture, the author has chronologically ordered all instances of public constructions from a large dataset by Hélène Jouffroy (Jouffroy, 1986). This he could do, due to some methodological improvements, with greater precision and far more data than was possible in previous assessments of the same dataset by others. In his article the author describes and interprets the reconstructed curves of both the African construction volumes and the changes in the total stock of public buildings. An increase in the African construction volumes starts to be significant from the late first century A.D. on, reaching a peak in the mid-second century; after a short period of moderation an absolute zenith is reached during the reign of Septimus Severus. Then, after the Severian period, the African construction volumes plunge into what seems to be the Third Century Crisis. , A new high-tide initiates during the late fourth century however; thereafter there’s but a steep decline. Interestingly an absolute zenith in the total stock of buildings is reached at the height of the construction volume ‘crisis’. Lastly, the author compares the results presented in this article with those that were recently published on public constructions in Roman Italy in his contribution to TMA 45, titled Public Constructions in Roman Italy (225 B.C. – A.D. 425) a conjectural approach.