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A picture of a popina in Pompeii

The popina (pl.: popinae) was an ancient Roman wine bar, where a limited menu of simple foods (olives, bread, stews) and selection of wines of varying quality were available. The popina was a place for plebeians of the lower classes of Roman society (slaves, freedmen, foreigners) to socialize; in Roman literature, they were frequently associated with illegal and immoral behavior.[1]

Etymology

[edit]

The word is the Osco-Umbrian equivalent of Latin coquina, from Latin coquere "to cook".

Features and clientele

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Popinae were a type of wine bar generally frequented by the lower-classes and slaves, and were simply furnished with stools and tables. They provided food, drink, sex and gambling. Because they were associated with gambling and prostitution, the popinae were seen by respectable Romans as places of crime and violence.[1] Juvenal, a 2nd-century CE Roman poet, mentions the popina to be frequented by assassins, some sailors, thieves, fugitive slaves, executioners and coffin-makers.[2]

Although gambling with sets of dice was illegal, it would appear from the large number of dice found at cities like Pompeii that most people ignored this law. Several wall paintings from Pompeian popinae show men throwing dice from a dice shaker. Prostitutes frequented popinae, but as many of these wine bars found at Pompeii had no rooms provided with a bed, they must have met their customers at these bars then taken them elsewhere. The popina differs from the Roman caupona in that it did not provide overnight accommodation.[1]

The popina usually fronted streets and was separated by a broad doorway. A service counter in a L or U shape would be in the main room where workers likely served customers food and drink. Frequently, a small water heater would be included into the counter or located nearby. In some popina, there would even be water basins embedded into the counter, such as in Ostia.[2] Martial, a 1st-century Latin poet, describes a popina that had grown so massive it had occupied the entire street.[2][3]

Modern discovery

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Physical remains of taverns and bars are found in well-preserved Roman cities. About 120 popinae were identified in Pompeii, but many of them might have been misidentified.

The taverns are often identified by evidence of storage jars set into them. However, regular shops also contained those storage jars. Some believed that the food and drink was sometimes catered when it was requested by a customer.

See also

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References

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Bibliography

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Popina

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A popina (plural: popinae) was an ancient Roman or casual dining establishment that primarily served wine alongside simple, affordable hot and cold foods to the urban lower classes. These venues, often located on busy street corners or near theaters in cities like Pompeii and Pollentia, functioned as social hubs where patrons—typically men from among slaves, freedmen, and laborers—could stand to eat or occasionally sit at basic tables, consuming items such as , olives, cheese, sausages, stews, grilled meats, , , and even delicacies like song thrushes prepared by or after removing the . Wine, usually diluted and sourced from varieties like Falernian, was stored in amphorae embedded in counters, and the establishments sometimes featured live music, though they carried a reputation for rowdiness, including , brawls, and associations with involving barmaids or hostesses. Distinguished from more upscale cauponae or lodging-focused inns, popinae catered to those without home cooking facilities, reflecting the everyday dietary and social habits of non-elite Romans from the through the , as evidenced by archaeological finds like embedded amphorae and faunal remains in urban cesspits.

Terminology and Etymology

Definition

A popina was a modest, street-side in ancient Roman urban settings, primarily serving affordable hot and cold foods such as stews, bread, olives, and cheese alongside inexpensive wines to the lower classes and laborers. These establishments functioned as casual venues for quick consumption of meals on-site, catering to the daily needs of city dwellers who lacked private cooking facilities. Unlike the more formal , which referred to a domestic , or the caupona that often provided for travelers in addition to food and drink, a popina emphasized informal and drinking without overnight accommodations. The term popina specifically denoted these small-scale bars, distinguishing them from broader inns or thermopolia, which focused on hot foods and drinks and might overlap in function but were not always synonymous. Typically situated in densely populated insulae or along busy streets, popinae operated from early morning through late evening, offering accessible refreshment amid the bustle of Roman city life. They served as vital social hubs for impromptu gatherings and economical sustenance, integral to the routine of urban workers rather than elaborate dining experiences.

Linguistic Origins

The Latin term popina originates from Oscan-Umbrian, the Sabellic languages of ancient central and , where it functions as a to the Latin coquina (""). This equivalence stems from the root verb coquere ("to cook"), with the characteristic Oscan-Umbrian sound shift converting the labio-velar /kw/ to /p/, as seen in other borrowings like Oscan pomp-íos for Latin . Throughout Roman linguistic history, popina underwent a semantic reflective of societal changes in urban provisioning. During the Republican period (ca. 509–27 BCE), it denoted modest cookshops focused on preparing and selling simple meals, akin to a basic eatery. In the Imperial era (27 BCE–476 CE), the term continued to denote low-end taverns or bars implying informal, on-site consumption of food and wine among , often with undertones of rowdiness or moral laxity. In comparison to related terms, popina highlights the of eating and in a casual venue, differing from thermopolium—a rare Greek (thermos "hot" + poleō "sell") specifically denoting outlets for heated foods and beverages—and taberna, a general word for any street-level shop or workshop that might incidentally offer comestibles. The emphasis in popina on convivial, often alcoholic, gatherings sets it apart as a marker of everyday social informality. Early textual attestations appear in Republican literature, particularly ' comedies, which depict popina as sites of indulgence and everyday vice. In Poenulus (ca. 194 BCE, line 835), a character evokes chaotic feasting: "bibitur estur quasi in popina" ("drinking and eating go on as if in a popina"), underscoring its role as a hub for unrestrained merriment. Later legal sources reinforce this evolution; the Digest of Justinian (comp. 533 CE, drawing on 2nd–3rd century CE jurists) mentions popinae in contexts of vendor liabilities for food and wine sales, as well as public order regulations in such establishments.

Historical Context

Republican Era Origins

Popinae first appeared in during the mid-Republic, around the 3rd and 2nd centuries BCE, as the city experienced rapid urban expansion following the . This growth was fueled by rural-to-urban migration of displaced from their farms and a massive influx of slaves captured in conquests, which swelled the lower-class population needing affordable, quick meals outside the home. These establishments catered to the daily needs of workers, slaves, and freedmen in a burgeoning metropolis where many lacked private cooking facilities, marking an adaptation to the informal demands of urban life. The development of popinae drew influences from neighboring cultures, particularly Greek and Etruscan traditions of communal eating and drinking, which Romans adapted into a street-oriented food culture suited to their plebeian masses. Greek symposia-inspired drinking venues evolved into simpler Roman forms, evident in the occasional use of the Hellenized term by mid-Republican playwrights like to describe hot-food sellers, reflecting cultural borrowing amid Rome's expanding Mediterranean contacts. Etruscan taverns, with their emphasis on cooked provisions, likely contributed to the practical setup of popinae as modest retail spaces for wine and basic fare. Regulatory efforts in the targeted luxury consumption but implicitly permitted basic popinae to serve the populace. Sumptuary laws, such as the Lex Fannia of 161 BCE, limited extravagant banquets to modest amounts like one unfattened hen and restricted daily entertainment spending to 10 asses, aiming to curb moral decline among the while allowing inexpensive eateries for the lower classes. These measures underscored popinae's role in providing accessible without challenging social hierarchies. Economically, popinae were typically run by freedmen or small-scale entrepreneurs, forming a vital part of Rome's informal retail sector and supporting the wine trade amid rising urban demand.

Imperial Period Evolution

During the Roman Imperial period, following the establishment of the empire under in 27 BCE, popinae experienced significant expansion tied to rapid across the provinces. In and , where Roman infrastructure and colonial settlements proliferated, these taverns became integral to urban life, with hundreds operating in major centers like to serve the growing plebeian and freedmen populations. This growth reflected broader imperial policies promoting provincial development, as popinae catered to the practical needs of laborers, traders, and travelers in expanding cities. Imperial authorities, particularly , incorporated popinae into their moral reform agendas, viewing them as potential dens of vice amid efforts to restore traditional Roman values. ' legislation, including laws on and enacted between 18 BCE and 9 CE, aimed to curb social excesses, with popinae targeted for their associations with , drunkenness, and ; aediles were empowered to regulate them more stringently, yet their ubiquity ensured persistence due to everyday reliance on affordable hot meals and wine. Despite such criticisms, echoed by later writers like Seneca who decried popinae as servile haunts, they remained essential for urban sustenance. Popinae's strategic locations near ports, forums, and markets further embedded them in imperial trade networks, functioning as informal hubs for exchanging news, gossip, and commercial intelligence among diverse clientele. In port cities like Ostia, adjacent to Rome, they facilitated interactions vital to the empire's economic flow, blending food service with social connectivity. By the late Empire, from the 3rd to 5th centuries CE, popinae's prominence waned amid the Christianization of Roman society and edicts targeting vice and pagan customs. This moral shift, along with economic pressures, contributed to the abandonment of commercial sites like those in Ostia by the mid-4th century, prioritizing Christian ethics over traditional social customs and leading to their overall decline.

Physical Features

Architectural Design

Popinae, the ancient Roman equivalents of street-side taverns or fast-food outlets, featured a compact architectural design optimized for quick service and urban integration. Typically small but varying in , with examples ranging from around 37 to over 700 square meters, these establishments consisted of a primary serving area with a street-facing counter, often accompanied by a small rear room for food preparation and storage. This layout minimized interior divisions, allowing for efficient workflow in densely populated city environments like Pompeii and Ostia. The defining structural element was the elevated counter, which protruded toward the and served as the focal point for customer interaction. These counters, constructed from stone or techniques, were typically around 0.8 meters in height and featured embedded dolia—large jars sunk into the stone or surface to hold and dispense hot foods, wines, or other liquids while maintaining warmth. A small or was commonly positioned at one end of the counter for on-site cooking, ensuring the space remained functional without extensive backend facilities. Counters were often L-shaped, with some U-shaped in smaller establishments. Recent excavations, such as the 2021 in Regio V, reveal similar features including painted decorations. An open-front design enhanced visibility and accessibility, with wide doorways or large windows framed by timber lintels and thresholds grooved for wooden shutters or folding panels. These entrances, sometimes protected by awnings or overhanging upper stories, directly abutted sidewalks, facilitating rapid transactions in bustling thoroughfares. Popinae were predominantly housed in ground-floor units of multi-story insulae (apartment blocks) or as standalone tabernae (shops), seamlessly adapting commercial spaces originally intended for retail by incorporating minimal partitions to separate serving and prep areas. This integration reflected the adaptive nature of Roman urban planning, where such venues occupied prime street-level positions at intersections or along major roads.

Equipment and Furnishings

In ancient Roman popinae, storage and serving relied on large dolia, typically embedded into the counters to hold grains, olives, and prepared stews, as evidenced by numerous examples from Pompeian sites like the Thermopolium of the Phoenix (I.11.11-12) where multiple dolia of around 100-gallon capacity were integrated for quick access. Amphorae, tall jars, were commonly used for storing and serving wine, often positioned against walls or on shelves behind the counter, such as the 21 wine amphorae found in a Regio I popina (I.8.8-9). These vessels facilitated efficient service integrated with the counter design. Cooking equipment was rudimentary, consisting of basic hearths or portable braziers for heating and , present in over 80% of identified Pompeian eateries and often built directly into or adjacent to counters, as seen in the Caupona of Salvius (VI.14.35-36). This setup underscored the absence of elaborate facilities, limiting preparation to simple reheating rather than complex cooking. Serving utensils included bronze or wooden ladles for portioning liquids and stews, alongside plates, terracotta bowls, and or metal cups, frequently stored in nearby cupboards or on wall hooks, with examples like a ladle and nine silver pieces (including cups) recovered from a property with commercial elements at I.8.14. Furnishings for patrons were minimal, featuring simple benches or wooden stools for limited seating, such as the L-shaped benches in cauponae along busy streets like Via dell’Abbondanza, accommodating standing or quick sit-down service for working-class customers. The standard menu centered on affordable staples like hot puls (a grain-based ), lentil or stews, cheese, and diluted wine or (a vinegar-water drink), prepared in basic pots over hearths and served directly from dolia, as indicated by residue analyses and faunal remains from Pompeian sites. Hygiene features included occasional drains beneath counters to handle spills and waste, while some walls bore frescoes depicting advertised items such as , birds, or wine vessels to attract passersby.

Social and Cultural Aspects

Clientele Profile

The clientele of popinae primarily comprised urban laborers, freed slaves, and from the lower socioeconomic classes, who often resided in densely packed insulae lacking adequate cooking facilities. These sub-elites, including slaves, freedmen and freedwomen, and free-born workers, depended on such establishments for daily sustenance amid chronic food insecurity and the demands of manual labor that sustained the . Popinae served as essential hubs for these groups, offering quick access to prepared food in environments where home-based was impractical or impossible due to limited and resources. Daily attendance patterns reflected the rhythms of urban work life, with crowds gathering in the mornings for basic provisions like and to start the day, and evenings drawing patrons for wine and respite after labor. These venues appealed particularly to transient workers, such as porters and other day laborers navigating the bustling streets. While the majority of visitors were men, as depicted in surviving frescoes and consistent with the moral stigma attached to public eating spaces, The economic accessibility of popinae was a key factor in their popularity among the non-, with inexpensive offerings ensuring they remained a vital resource rather than a luxury. Meals and drinks were priced to suit the modest wages of laborers and freedmen, underscoring the establishments' role as democratic spaces in an otherwise stratified . This affordability reinforced popinae's integration into for those unable to afford or access elite dining alternatives.

Associated Practices

Popinae served as common venues for various social vices in , particularly among the lower classes. , especially dice games known as tesserae, was widespread despite legal prohibitions, with archaeological depictions from Pompeii illustrating disputes over such games in establishments like the Caupona of Salvius. frequently occurred within these spaces, as waitresses and hostesses often doubled as sex workers, contributing to the establishments' notorious reputation. Brawls and rowdy altercations were typical, fostering a chaotic atmosphere that elite Romans decried as emblematic of moral decay. Beyond vice, popinae hosted forms of entertainment that animated daily life. Street performers provided music on simple instruments like the tibia (flute) or lyre, while patrons engaged in storytelling and the exchange of political rumors, turning these venues into informal hubs for news and gossip dissemination. Such activities blurred the lines between leisure and subversion, allowing lower-class individuals to participate in broader social and political discourse. Roman literary sources reflected deep moral ambivalence toward popinae, often portraying them as hazards to societal order. lambasted these taverns in his speech In Pisonem, associating them with drunkenness and disreputable company, as when he recounted encountering Piso inebriated at a popina early in the morning. , in his satires, depicted popinae as chaotic dens of drinking, sex, and gambling, underscoring their role in corrupting public morals. Emperors occasionally enforced regulations through raids or closures; restricted cooked meats and hot water sales to curb excesses, while also temporarily shutting down select taverns to limit gatherings. Despite elite scorn, popinae offered positive functions for the , acting as vital spaces for community bonding and mutual support. These establishments facilitated social interactions among slaves, freedmen, and laborers, providing not only affordable sustenance but also a semblance of informal welfare through shared resources and camaraderie in urban neighborhoods.

Archaeological Insights

Major Excavation Sites

The most prominent archaeological evidence for popinae comes from the Vesuvian sites of Pompeii and , preserved by the eruption of in 79 CE, which buried these cities under layers of ash and . In Pompeii, over 150 bars and taverns, including numerous popinae and thermopolia, have been identified through systematic excavations, with counters serving as key diagnostic features for these establishments. These sites reveal popinae integrated into the urban fabric, often fronting streets with open counters for quick service of hot food and drinks. A particularly well-preserved example is the of Vetutius Placidus (I.8.8), located on Via dell'Abbondanza, which features an L-shaped counter embedded with dolia (large jars) for storing foodstuffs, along with vibrant frescoes depicting theatrical scenes and everyday life, offering insights into the decorative style of such venues. Herculaneum, also engulfed by the same eruption but preserved in harder pyroclastic flows, yields fewer but often more intact examples of popinae, suggesting smaller-scale, potentially upscale operations compared to Pompeii's denser urban array. Excavations have uncovered at least five thermopolia, characterized by their compact layouts and occasional private back rooms for dining or storage. The Grand Taberna stands out as one of the largest, spanning multiple rooms with embedded dolia containing remnants of grains, nuts, and wine, and marble-clad counters indicating higher-quality construction typical of this site's wealthier residential context. These features highlight variations in popinae design suited to Herculaneum's coastal, suburban setting. Ostia Antica, Rome's ancient harbor city, provides crucial evidence for popinae in a commercial hub, with excavations revealing dozens of such establishments dating primarily to the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE, often clustered near docks and warehouses to serve traders and laborers. Approximately 38 popinae have been documented, featuring robust brick counters and water basins for hygiene, underscoring their role in facilitating trade-linked refreshment. A representative example is the on Via di Diana, where intact dolia and mosaic flooring preserve traces of daily operations, illustrating how popinae supported the port's economic vitality without the volcanic preservation seen elsewhere. Beyond , popinae appear in provincial contexts, adapting Roman urban models to local environments. In , a possible early —potentially akin to a popina— to circa 125–75 BCE was excavated at Lattara (modern Lattes, near ), featuring U-shaped earthen benches resembling a , ovens for food preparation, and ceramic vessels including large bowls, marking one of the earliest post-conquest examples in Mediterranean and reflecting Roman influence on indigenous settlement patterns. In Britain, tabernae structures resembling popinae have been identified in urban and frontier sites, such as the commercial strips of (modern ), where excavations uncovered shop rows with counters indicative of food service, though preservation is poorer due to organic decay; at military outposts like , while specific popinae remain elusive, faunal and ceramic evidence points to analogous provisioning functions integrated into fort life. These provincial finds demonstrate popinae's flexibility in incorporating local materials and customs across the empire.

Interpretations and Recent Findings

The systematic excavations at Pompeii initiated under Giuseppe Fiorelli in the marked a pivotal shift in understanding popinae, as his methodical approach to stratigraphic digging and first identified these establishments through their characteristic L-shaped counters embedded with dolia—large jars used for storing and serving food and drink. Fiorelli's innovations, including the division of the site into regiones and insulae for precise mapping, allowed for the cataloging of such structures across the city, transforming haphazard treasure hunts into scientific . Recent interdisciplinary has illuminated the daily operations and of popinae through advanced analytical techniques. In , the complete excavation of a in Pompeii's Regio V revealed residues in dolia confirming a diverse , including (evidenced by bones), remains, , , land snails, and fava beans mixed with wine for flavoring, as analyzed via archaeobotanical and archaeozoological methods. These findings, supported by chemical residue analysis, suggest popinae offered both meat-based stews and plant-infused beverages, challenging earlier assumptions of uniformly simple fare. Further excavations in the Regio V from 2023 to 2024 revealed an Egyptian vase reused as a , indicating luxury imports in everyday settings. Additionally, reconstructions, such as those developed by researchers at using and historical data, have visualized the spatial dynamics of these counters, aiding in the interpretation of customer flow and service areas. Scholarly debates persist regarding the precise and functions of these sites, particularly whether all structures labeled "thermopolia" in modern accounts qualify as true popinae. Ancient sources and archaeological indicate overlapping usage of terms like popina (for cooked food venues) and (a rarer, possibly literary term for hot-food sellers), with no clear archaeological markers distinguishing them; efforts to impose strict categories have proven untenable due to inconsistent Roman nomenclature. Revised interpretations also highlight greater standards and dietary diversity than previously thought, including vegetarian options like bean-based preparations alongside animal proteins, based on residue patterns across multiple sites.

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