When he consulted Jim Lloyd while wondering how to promote his turkeys this Christmas, Eddie Grundy was disappointed to discover that the Romans had nothing to do with the birds, as they weren’t brought to Europe until the 16th century. But he did seize on some of their practices with chickens, which he plans to adapt. We thought we’d share some of our research with you.
Fortune-telling
The Romans believed that birds – including owls, crows and chickens – gave a favourable omen if they appeared from the left.
According to Cicero any bird could be used as an oracle when feeding (‘auspicium ex tripudiis’), although it was usually chickens. This is what Eddie latched onto and is planning to do with a few selected turkeys. The bird would be tempted out of its cage with pulses or a soft cake. If they took the feed, the auguries were good. But if the bird stayed in the cage, reacted badly or flew away, it indicated the opposite.
The Roman general Publius Claudius Pulcher tried this in 249 BC before the battle of Drepana, against the Carthaginians in the First Punic War. The prescient poultry didn’t take the feed, so he angrily had them thrown overboard. He is reputed to have said ‘If they won't eat, perhaps they will drink’.
The general should have heeded the chickens’ warning, though. He promptly lost the battle and 93 ships. On his ignominious return to Rome, he was tried for incompetence and impiety and given a heavy fine.
Let’s hope no Ambridge resident receives as woeful an omen from Eddie’s turkeys.
Chicken recipes
The Roman cookbook Apicius contains 17 chicken recipes, some of which use all parts of the chicken including the parson’s nose.
One recipe is for Pullum Frontonianum. The chicken is fried in oil and liquamen (a salty fish sauce) with bunches of dill, leek, coriander and a spice called saturei. It’s then roasted for an hour and served with a thick grape or fig syrup.
Jim mentioned that chickens were often fattened for consumption, often with bread soaked in milk. The consumption of fattened chickens was banned by law in 161 BC, but apparently without much success.
Keridicae Davicus is a Sagittarii scriptwriter and web producer.
‘Following Hadrian’ has another chicken recipe from Apicius – fully cooked and tested, with photos
Discover more Roman recipes at Pass the Garum
