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+--- Thread: Greek/Spartan Diet and fitness (/showthread.php?tid=9566)
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Greek/Spartan Diet and fitness - Sparta07 - 05-31-2007
Hello all,
I am very interested in the Spartan way of life, What I have heard that Spartan soldiers would eat a limited diet restricting themselves from indulgence. But what I really want to know is what the spartan soldiers and would have eaten. Also what fitness routines would the Spartan soldiers have to go through to become the great worriors that they were!!
Thank you for any help
Re: Greek/Spartan Diet and fitness - floofthegoof - 05-31-2007
I think I read in Plato that the only spices that Spartans used on thier food were 'hunger, thirst and exhaustion'. :lol:
Re: Greek/Spartan Diet and fitness - hoplite14gr - 05-31-2007
We know from Plutearch's life of Agisilaos that regular bread and meat was allowed but Agesialos comanded all luxurious sweets and dishes offred by the allies to be given to helots!
Spartans considered pankration a deadly martial art and trained accordingly.
The object of the training was to create endurance and not muscular development.
A lot of time was spent in close formation drill. (phalanx)
Treat the black broth stories with caution. Black broth was NOT the only food.
The Retra of Lekourgos was aiming to curb exesses not food variety
Kind regards
Re: Greek/Spartan Diet and fitness - Gaius Julius Caesar - 05-31-2007
Any idea what the black broth was made of?
Re: Greek/Spartan Diet and fitness - hoplite14gr - 05-31-2007
Quote:Any idea what the black broth was made of?
Pig's blood boiled with vinegar salt and pepper.
According to Demaratos only those who bathed in Evrotas river could eat it!
Kind regards
Re: Greek/Spartan Diet and fitness - Laran - 05-31-2007
Here's an article about ancient Greek military cuisine by Nick Sekunda
http://www.ospreypublishing.com/content2.php/cid=218
Re: Greek/Spartan Diet and fitness - Gaius Julius Caesar - 05-31-2007
Good link Laran!
Re: Greek/Spartan Diet and fitness - Sparta07 - 05-31-2007
Thanks guys some good stuff there!!
Greek/Spartan diet - Paullus Scipio - 06-02-2007
Oh, I don't think black broth was so bad !
I often eat "Black Pudding" on a regular basis - a northern english dish, being a sausage made from much the same ingredients as Spartan "Black broth" !!
Re: Greek/Spartan Diet and fitness - Gaius Julius Caesar - 06-02-2007
Yeah, tho could use some spice or herbs...... :lol:
German Blood sausage......
Re: Greek/Spartan Diet and fitness - hoplite14gr - 06-02-2007
Sorry gentlemen but it is not the same as "the meat curing" process tents to add taste. Try to boil blood with vinegar first and you will find out why the enemy thought that Spartans were doing chemical warfare or something :!:
Second the taste makes you think that dieing in combat cannot be that bad after all :twisted:
It has nothing to do with with processed sausages I assure you.
Kind regards
Re: Greek/Spartan Diet and fitness - Giannis K. Hoplite - 06-02-2007
Like everything,it's a matter of habit...
Re: Greek/Spartan Diet and fitness - Marcus Mummius - 06-02-2007
Quote:Sorry gentlemen but it is not the same as "the meat curing" process tents to add taste. Try to boil blood with vinegar first and you will find out why the enemy thought that Spartans were doing chemical warfare or something :!:
Second the taste makes you think that dieing in combat cannot be that bad after all :twisted:
It has nothing to do with with processed sausages I assure you.
Kind regards
mmm Now I'm so curious... I'll have to make some and taste it
Re: Greek/Spartan Diet and fitness - hoplite14gr - 06-02-2007
Quote:Like everything,it's a matter of habit...
....or to be consumed only by Doreans :twisted:
...like me :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:
Kind regards
Re: Greek/Spartan Diet and fitness - Giannis K. Hoplite - 06-02-2007
Well,like me too,don't look where I live,I could be a Spartan officer,great grand child of Brasidas!
Seriously I might be a dorian,though nobody knows for sure...
Khaire
Giannis