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Tasting the Past

Tom Holland on how Romans fed their legions, and the programme visits Bristol to discover history of street food.

Tom Holland and his guests showcase the stories that are making history.

Helen Castor heads for Wales and new scientific research telling us much more about what the Romans ate and how far away they had to source their food to feed their armies. Helen's in Newport, not far from Caerleon which was one of only three permanent fortresses in Roman Britain. Here, archaeologists and scientists from Cardiff University are using dental palaeopathology to discover where the animals that were slaughtered for their meat came from. The results suggest that so-called supply chains were as long and involved as they are today.

Also, we cross the Bristol Channel for more food history as reporter Hester Cant tastes the city's vibrant street food culture and discovers just how long its been established in the UK.

Producer: Nick Patrick
A Pier production for ±«Óãtv Radio 4.

Available now

28 minutes

Last on

Tue 18 Sep 2018 23:30

Guests

Tom Holland in the chair for this edition of ±«Óãtv Radio 4’s popular history magazine programme.

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He’s joined by the food historian

Street Food

Reporter Hester Cant and researcher Charlie Tavener explore the long history of street food here in the UK.

Top Town History

Making History listener Helen Wall does battle on behalf of Barrow-in-Furness against Simon Parker from the village of Linkinhorne in Cornwall.

To suggest a town or a story for our team to look into email making.history@bbc.co.uk

Caerleon

How did the Roman’s feed their Legions? Remarkably, this isn’t a question that has troubled archaeologists and historians much in the past. But now, new technology is allowing scientists to work out just where the meat that Roman soldiers were eating came from. The results of this work reveal that the Romans had very long supply chains to keep their troops well fed.


Hyper-Link History

Cumberland Sausages


Anglo Saxon & Boars


Coprolite


Making History is a Pier Production for ±«Óãtv Radio 4

Email making.history@bbc.co.uk

Broadcasts

  • Tue 16 Jan 2018 15:30
  • Tue 18 Sep 2018 23:30

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