History of bread during Romans time

Stone Age people would probably have used hot stones to bake flat cakes made of wheat kernels mixed with water. Later on, the whet gains would have been sheared or ground and used to make flat bread, very similar to the flat breads sometimes eaten today, such as pita bread and chapati.

The first record of bread was a flatbread made around 6700 BC. By 3000 BC, the Egyptians had learned to leaven it.

By the time of the Roman Empire, millers could make a version of white flour, which quickly became popular.

An important innovation in Roman baking was introduced by the Gauls, an European people who had been conquered by the Romans.

They discovered that adding the froth from beer to bread dough made especially light, well-leavened bread. The froth contained yeast from beer fermentation, so this process was the beginning of the use of a controlled yeast source for making bread doughs.

The ancient Roman bread was a flat, hard cake called ‘libum’ which was baked in hot embers and ashes and which continued in favor even when wheat-bread and leaven was introduced.

The first known bakers Guild was formed in Rome about the year 168 BC. All through ancient terms bread and bakers were held in the highest respect.
History of bread during Romans time