Why do you think the Romans developed the idea of eating and socialising from an adopted horizontally reclined position as opposed to sitting? Was this a preference of the elite classes signifying opulence and wealth? Was it a prelude to orgiastic entertainment?
2007-07-19 05:43:08 · 2 answers · asked by Peter 3 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
Although art usually depicts Romans as dining horizontally, there doesn't seem to be a lot of evidence that this was a widespread practice among any but the elite classes, and only for festive or sumptuous dining at that.
I imagine the idea grew out of the idea of leisure, rather than eroticism; think of your average modern couch potatoes, sprawled amongst pizza, chips, sodas, and asorted junk food, and you get the idea...
2007-07-19 05:56:43 · answer #1 · answered by Palmerpath 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It was an expression of the wealth of the Romans who did it...the poor could not afford the space to eat from couches.
they did believe it was better for you eat lying down.
2007-07-19 13:00:20 · answer #2 · answered by glenn 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋