A GENERAL REVIEW OF THE FOOD CULTURE OF ANCIENT GREECE, BASED ON THE ELEMENTS OF GASTRONOMY MENTIONED IN THE ODYSSEY BY HOMER

Legends are among the leading elements of cultural heritage for any civilization. They offer valuable insights into the daily outlook and beliefs of the people, politics and much more in the domains of sociological analysis of human societies. Legends also often contain references to elements of gastronomy, and thus provide clues about the food and beverages habits of the nation. This study focuses on the gastronomic identity of Ancient Greece, with reference to three major elements: the history of some of the leading characteristics of the first class restaurants of today, with a perspective dating back to ancient Greece with specific references to Homer’s Odyssey; the relationship between civilization and gastronomy; and the examples of gastronomic activities of the era, such as ceremonies and feasts