Did Christianity Turn Roman Slavery Upside Down? Maybe.

by Liisa Eyerly

When a novel is set in ancient Rome, it is almost impossible to avoid the subject of slavery. In the Roman Empire, slavery was everywhere. Some historians estimate that as many as one-third of the population was enslaved. Unlike slavery in early America, Roman slavery was not based on race. Masters and slaves were often the same ethnicity, spoke the same language, and sometimes even came from the same region. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/Livia%2C_the_wife_of_Augustus%2C_superintending.jpg?

Most Romans saw slavery as a normal part of life. 

Philosophers like Aristotle even argued that some people were “natural slaves.” He believed certain people were meant to do physical labor and were better off being ruled by others. Whether someone became enslaved through war, debt, or punishment, very few people questioned the system itself. Slavery helped power the Roman economy, its armies, and its growing empire. Faustyna E., CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Then Christianity entered the picture.

The writers of the New Testament never directly called for the end of slavery. The Apostle Paul still told slaves and masters how to live within the system that already existed. But Christianity introduced a dangerous new idea: before God, slave and free were equal. Paul wrote in Galatians 3:28 that in Christ “there is neither slave nor free.” In churches across the empire, slaves worshiped beside masters, shared the Lord’s Supper together, and called each other brothers and sisters. 

.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Monuments_of_the_early_church_%281901%29_%2814783189742%29.jpg?

To most Romans, this sounded absurd. Roman society depended on status, rank, and legal divisions. Christianity quietly challenged those divisions by teaching that a person’s value came from God, not from wealth or social position. 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5a/The_early_days_of_Christianity_%281922%29_%2814765643872%29.jpg

That tension appears throughout my novels set in places like Ephesus. In cities loyal to Rome, Christian communities created an uncomfortable gray area where slaves, merchants, soldiers, and nobles gathered as equals. Roman authorities did not always understand this movement, but they recognized it could weaken the social order that held the empire together, and began persecuting the followers of this strange religion.

Christianity did not end Roman slavery overnight. That would take centuries. But it planted ideas about human worth and equality that slowly began to crack the foundations of the system.  


                                                                                              Fortunes of Death

In the bustling streets of ancient Ephesus, fortunes can change in an instant. When one of the city’s wealthiest citizens is found crushed beneath his own triumphant memorial, the powerful elite demand justice—but at what cost? Enigmatic investigator Sabina faces her most perilous case yet. As secrets unravel and enemies close in, she must navigate political intrigue, dark sorcery, and forbidden love to uncover the truth. In a city where everyone has something to hide, who can be trusted? And how far will Sabina go to solve a mystery that could cost her everything?

Liisa’s books have been called a cross between Agatha Christie and Francine Rivers. Her mystery novel, Obedient Unto Death, won the Eric Hoffer First Horizon Award for a debut novel and first place in the Spiritual Fiction category. The sequel, Fortunes of Death, continues the Secrets of Ephesus series, weaving fascinating Christian twists into the historical mystery genre of the first-century Roman Empire. Liisa’s travels to Turkey, Greece, and Italy have enriched her stories with vivid depictions of New Testament culture, history, and people.

Liisa’s journey into writing proves it’s never too late to follow your dreams and share your passion with the world.

Purchase her books at:
Crossriver Media 

• Fortunes of Death
• Obedient Unto Death
• My Amazon book page

Visit Liisa at:
Her website www.LiisaEyerly.com
Author Facebook page at Liisa Eyerly Author page

 

Weird Inventions That Saved Lives: The Morrison Shelter

Blogger: Amber Lemus

Hello friends!

Today we are starting a new series on Weird Inventions That Saved Lives. I post on the 2nd of each month, so be sure to check back for the next article in the series on May 2nd!

Take a look at this contraption. Upon first glance, it looks very strange to see a couple sleeping in what appears to be a cage. I did a double take the first time I saw this photo. But this odd invention actually saved thousands, maybe even hundreds of thousands of lives during WWII. This is a Morrison Air Raid Shelter. 

We are very familiar with the photos of WWII showing families entering cellars or bunkers or huddling in underground tunnels. But especially in Europe, not every family had a backyard with a cellar, or access to an underground tunnel. The British government noted that thousands of lives were being lost, not from the actual impact of the bombs, but from the surrounding destruction. Walls would cave in or blow out from the blast and then the entire roof would collapse on top of innocent civilians, killing many. So they did what any good government would do, they brainstormed ways to keep their population safe. 

The Morrison Shelter, also known as the Table Shelter, was designed by John Baker and named after Herbert Morrison who was the Minister of Home Security at the time. The device was designed with all functionality and practicality in mind. During the day, it could be used as a table, thus the nickname 'table shelter'. But during the night, or during air raids, it could be used as a shelter. The top was a 3mm steel plate and the frame was also steel with wire mesh. Even the bottom of the shelter was made with a metal lath "mattress" type of design. 

A couple demonstrates the use of the Morrison Shelter
Photo By Ministry of Information Photo Division Photographer
Imperial War Museums, Public Domain.

The government tested the shelters before they began distribution. In this photo, you can see how the shelters would function as protection during the air raids. This photo is from one of the said tests with dummies inside the shelter. 

Test of the Morrison Shelter with dummies inside.
Photo By Ministry of Information Photo Division Photographer
Imperial War Museums, Public Domain.

The next step was to distribute some of these shelters to see them working in real time. The British government provided these shelter kits free to low-income families and at a price to wealthy families. The shelter came in a box, and the families were required to assemble the shelter themselves. The kit provided three tools and three-hundred-fifty-nine parts which they would then bolt together inside the home. Half a million of these shelters were distributed by the end of 1941, and another round of one-hundred thousand by the end of 1943.

In one examination, the British government observed forty-four houses that had been damaged in an air raid. Inside those forty-four houses were one-hundred-thirty-six people. Three people were killed, thirteen seriously injured and another sixteen were slightly injured. The three that were killed were directly hit by the bomb. And of those thirteen who were seriously injured, some of those had not sited the shelter properly. The result was that the shelters did indeed save lives. Those 44 homes had suffered severe damage from the attack, and yet one-hundred-twenty of the one-hundred-thirty-six escaped without severe injury. 

While the Morrison Shelter may be a weird or strange-looking contraption, it was invaluable during WWII. 

Have you ever heard of the Morrison Shelter? How would you feel about sleeping inside a metal cage to keep your family safe?

*****

Two-time winner of the Christian Indie Award for historical fiction, Amber Lemus inspires hearts through enthralling tales She has a passion for travel, history, books and her Savior. This combination results in what her readers call "historical fiction at its finest".  

She lives at the foot of the Rocky Mountains with her prince charming and three children. Between enjoying life as a mom of three littles, and spinning stories out of soap bubbles, Amber loves to connect with readers and hang out on Goodreads with other bookish peoples.

Amber is a proud member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Association. Visit her online at http://www.amberlemus.com/  and download a FREE story by subscribing to her Newsletter!

The Battle of Great Bridge - Norfolk, VA December 1775

Guest Blogger: Barbara Blythe

Today we welcome special guest, Barbara Blythe who is celebrating her new historical romance release, Far Grander Than Paradise. Welcome, Barbara!

*****

Picture a sleepy, farming village in December 1775, situated on the edge of the Great Dismal Swamp. Residents aren’t decorating Christmas trees—it’s not yet a custom in colonial Virginia—nor wrapping lavish gifts for Christmas morning as their means are modest. In the village of the Great Bridge, located along the Great Road (Battlefield Blvd. in modern day Chesapeake, Virginia) Lord Dunmore, the royal governor, having forbidden the Burgesses to meet has recently been pushed from Williamsburg by mounting unrest. He has commanded British soldiers to construct a fort along a southern branch of the Elizabeth River, a waterway that leads to the port town of Norfolk. Dunmore has decided to send his troops, composed of those belonging to the 14th Regiment of Foot, emancipated enslaved men belonging to Dunmore’s Ethiopian Regiment, and the Queen’s Loyal Regiment comprised of local loyalists and formerly indentureds, to engage the Patriots. Had you been a witness to those events, you would likely have thought any patriot force foolish enough to confront the British were lacking in sense. But...

For the past two years, I’ve volunteered at the Great Bridge Battlefield and Waterways History Museum as a docent, and I discover something new about this battle nearly every time I step inside the building. I have discovered what many considered untrained, undisciplined though zealous patriots, inferior to highly trained and seasoned British soldiers, surprised everyone. Not in a skirmish or minor ambush, but in an orchestrated attack.

Map of Great Bridge and Fort Murray

After escaping Williamsburg, Dunmore sought refuge on a British naval ship and sailed to Norfolk. The governor knew that many of the town’s residents were loyal Scots (Dunmore was Scottish) and would support his efforts on behalf of King George III. Tensions mounted through the fall of 1775 at which time, the British 14th Regiment summoned from St. Augustine, Florida to assist Dunmore, arrived. Hence, the necessity of a fort built along a navigable strip of the Elizabeth River. The Great Road village had prospered from its location near the river and the fact the area claimed the only passable land route taking one from northeastern North Carolina and terminating in Norfolk—and vice versa—without using a ferry or crossing shallow waterways on horseback or wheeled conveyance.

British Fort

By early December 1775, the British had taken up residence in the hastily constructed fort, having grown in number to approximately 600 men. Dunmore, certain his force would have little trouble subduing the patriots, underestimated the number assembled by the opposing force—nearly 900 in total. He also underestimated the marksmanship and superior rifles the patriots had brought to the battle, of note the Culpepper Minutemen, waving their battle flag proclaiming “Don’t Tread on Me” which bore the image of a snake.

Lord Dunmore

When December 9, 1775 dawned, Lord Dunmore commanded his troops to advance, the 14th Regiment the first line to march toward the Patriots. As they reached the wooden bridge, sentries from the patriot side confronted them, among their number a freed black man, William Flora, from Portsmouth, Virginia, who’d volunteered to fight with the patriots. He and his companions pulled boards from the bridge to restrict the soldiers’ progress. Eventually only Flora remained, firing numerous shots at the advancing British force. But once across the bridge, the British encountered a problem far worse than a sentry shooting at them. The narrow strip that connected the bridge to the village, a causeway, was narrow and limited the progress of the British as they collapsed to six men across to fit within the fourteen feet of width provided by the causeway. Surrounded on all sides by swampy wet lands—marsh, reeds, muck, and mire—the 14th Regiment faced a deadly assault from the riflemen protected by breastworks across the southern end of the causeway.

The battle lasted thirty minutes. The British retreated to the fort and by that evening had marched back to Norfolk. It was a Patriot victory no one expected.

Why was this win a major turning point in the pursuit of freedom from England? News of the victory spread throughout the colonies and across the Atlantic. Throughout the colonies the realization that obtaining independence from Great Britain was more than a dream. And that dream became reality, but not without extreme sacrifice. We should all value the efforts of those 900 men who gathered along the Great Road and the Great Bridge 250 years ago.

*****

ABOUT BARBARA:

   Bitten by the writing bug in sixth grade, Barbara was further encouraged in middle and high school. Upon graduating from college, she was in banking for 25 years and later, was an administrative assistant with a local school system. Life events altered Barbara’s dreams—unfinished manuscripts ended up in a file cabinet for many years. In 2023, after retiring, she joined a local ACFW group and dusted off her unfinished manuscripts with hopes of bringing to life fascinating historical stories. 

     Barbara’s priority is to honor God and share her commitment through her writing. Her stories are faith-driven, entwining actual historical events with her characters who discover love in spite of all that threatens to drive them apart. 

     Previously published novels are: Fire Dragon’s Angel, Ransom for Many, and Dance of Life. Newest release: Far Grander than Paradise. Website: https://www.barbarablythebooks.com/

A Festive Cena: Evening Dining with Rome’s Elite

by Liisa Eyerly

In ancient Rome, how—and what—you ate was one of the clearest markers of where you stood in society—food drew one of the sharpest lines between power and poverty. Roman Feast by Roberto Bompiani, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

For the elite, dining was a spectacle. Every meal, especially the evening banquet, was a stage, every dish a declaration. Imported spices, rare fruits, exotic meats—these weren’t just foods, but symbols, proclaiming wealth, influence, and control. Servants, silver and gold dinnerware, and ceremony transformed eating into a performance of dominance.

For the poor, food meant survival. Their tables held plain bread, humble grains, and whatever olives, vegetables, or scraps could be afforded. No luxury, no variety—just the bare essentials to endure another day of labor.

Two worlds shared the same city, but not the same table.

Supper or Cena (Main Meal) late afternoon to evening.

Poor—when they returned home from work, often after dark.
Elite—known for their socializing and dinner parties that could last several hours, with reclining couches, entertainment, and wine. An elaborate procession of gustatio–prima mensa–secunda mensa. Three (or more) courses - Appetizer - Main course - Dessert. Often followed by an after-dinner drinking party.

No Guests, No Showmanship
Anonymous Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Even wealthy Romans didn’t stage a banquet every night. When it was just the family, Cena was:

✨ 1. Smaller in Scale
Fewer courses—often just two (a main course and a simple dessert).

✨ 2. More Comfortable and Intimate
Reclining was still common, but the atmosphere was relaxed.
Family members ate together without the pressure of political theater.
Fewer slaves were needed for serving—maybe just a couple instead of a full staff.

✨ 3. Traditional, Not Showy

Without guests to impress, Roman elites didn’t waste expensive delicacies. Nothing that required exotic ingredients or hours of preparation—just good household cooking.
Instead of flamingo tongues or peacock, they might eat:
· Grilled fish or chicken
· Vegetables like cabbage, leeks, or lentils
· Bread and cheese
· Fruit in season
When not entertaining, even the elites did not eat tons of meat, but when they did, fish, seafood, poultry, smoked pork liver sausage, roasted goat, boiled hare, and baked scrambled eggs were common. Vatican Museums, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

✨ 4. Even on a Modest Night, the Meals of the Elite Were Still Better Than the Poor.
· The oil was of better quality – pressed from their own olive groves
· The bread was fresher – baked daily at home
· The produce was more varied – harvested from their personal farms and orchards
· The meat was regular, not rare – supplied from their own farms, often just outside the city or town
· Spices like pepper or coriander were used freely

Some of these foods sound surprisingly modern until you discover recipes from the Roman chef Apicius, for fish liver pudding, stuffed dormice, brain-stuffed squash fritters, and rose patina, a baked dish of scrambled brain and eggs, flavored with roses.

Three of the Strangest Foods Elite Romans Actually Ate

1. Stuffed Dormice  
These little rodents fattened on nuts and acorns. The elite stuffed them with minced pork, pepper, pine nuts, and honey, then roasted them to a golden crisp.
A luxury delicacy—but to modern diners, the idea alone is… memorable.

2. Flamingo Tongues (served at a dinner party in book three, “Powers of Death”)
Yes… flamingos. Elite Romans prized the bird’s bright feathers and considered the tongue the true delicacy. Cookbooks describe boiling them with dates, wine, pepper, and vinegar.

They weren’t eaten for taste so much as for shock value—proof that the host had the means to serve the rarest, most impractical foods.

3. Jellyfish and Sea Urchin Custard
Recipes based on Apicius’s Cookbook IX (1st–4th-century cookbook in modern wording), include recipes for cooked jellyfish dressed with vinegar, oil, and herbs, and for sea urchins mashed into a thick custard. Part seafood, part dessert: this savory-sweet, custard-like dish was meant to impress (or intimidate!) dinner guests.
Alexcooper1 at English Wikipedia (Alex Pronove)  

Apicius’ Sea Urchin Custard.
Ingredients:
Fresh sea urchins (whole)
Eggs
Pepper
Liquamen or garum (Roman fish sauce)
Passum (sweet raisin wine) or another sweet wine
Optional: a little oil 

Directions:
· Pierce the sea urchins and blend their contents with eggs.
· Season with pepper, liquamen, and sweet wine.
· Pour the mixture back into the shells—or small clay dishes
· Gently cook in hot water in its shell (or in a small dish) until set like a custard mixture
· Serve warm with a sprinkle of pepper

Romans didn’t necessarily love it… But they loved showing they could afford it. Remember, food wasn’t always about taste—it was about wealth, novelty, and the status of serving something rare and difficult to prepare. A true marquee item for a lavish Roman feast. Next month, we’ll delve into the rich world of Roman wines.

For more authentic ancient Roman recipes for modern kitchens, including garum and Roman cheese cake, you can visit Laura Hauser’s website 18 Authentic Ancient Roman Recipes for Modern Kitchens - Recipes For Life

SECRETS OF EPHESUS SERIES

The award-winning series unveils gripping historical mysteries set in the perilous world of ancient Rome. In Obedient unto Death, a scribe is murdered during an illicit Christian gathering. Sabina, a fearless believer, navigates a treacherous world of deceit and betrayal to discover the killer.

In Fortunes of Death, our sleuth returns—risking everything to expose murder, magic, and corruption beneath the empire’s glittering surface. Reviewer Deborah Anne raves: “Murder mystery—Intrigue—Love—Fellowship through Christ. This series has it all! Eyerly is wonderful! If you’re tired of boring—read this series! I love a good mystery!” Prepare to be hooked!

Liisa’s books have been called a cross between Agatha Christie and Francine Rivers. Her mystery, Obedient Unto Death, won the Eric Hoffer First Horizon Award for a debut novel and first place in the Spiritual Fiction category. The sequel, Fortunes of Death, continues the Secrets of Ephesus series, weaving fascinating Christian twists into the historical mystery genre of the first-century Roman Empire. Liisa’s travels to Turkey, Greece, and Italy have enriched her stories with vivid depictions of New Testament culture, history, and people.

Over the years, she’s been a teacher, small business owner, librarian, and lifelong learner. She and her husband live in northern Wisconsin, where she channels her love of history, faith, and mystery into writing captivating and inspiring novels.

Purchase her books at:
Crossriver Media https://www.crossrivermedia.com/product/fortunes-of-death/
Amazon book page https://amzn.to/3Di2gyQ

Visit Liisa at:
Her website www.LiisaEyerly.com
Author Facebook page at Liisa Eyerly Author page

History of the Times Square Ball

Blogger: Amber Lemus

7th Times Square Ball
Photo Credit: Jtalvy, CC0, CC

 The dropping of the ball in Times Square has become a New Years icon. This year will make new history for the Times Square Ball, because it will drop twice. The second time in honor of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. 

Since we have new history being made with the ball drop, I thought it would be fun to explore the origins of the celebration that has become so well-known across the globe as a symbol of New York City and the USA.

The New Years celebration in Times Square had begun in 1904 as a way to celebrate and promote the newly finished headquarters of the New York Times newspaper building. The festivities were a hit, but after a few years of fireworks celebrations, the owner of the New York Times, Adolph Ochs, decided he wanted something bigger. It was the idea of the company's chief electrician to build a "time ball" after seeing one used elsewhere. In 1907, Ochs commissioned the Artkraft Strauss company to construct the ball. A young Russian immigrant by the name of Jacob Starr, built the ball out of iron and wood, then adorned it with one hundred 25-watt bulbs. The finished ball was five feet in diameter and weighed a whopping seven hundred pounds. It thrilled the spectators at the 1907-1908 New Years festivities in Times Square. 

Since then, the ball has been lowered every year, except for 1942 and 1943 due to WWII blackouts.

The Millennial Ball (2000)
Photo by: Hunter Kahn (Public Domain) 

In total, there have been nine versions of the ball:

• The original, built in 1907. 
  
  
• A version made entirely of wrought iron with replaced the original in 1920. 
  
  
• A lighter version made of aluminum replaced the four-hundred pound wrought iron ball in 1950. This version weighed only one-hundred-fifty pounds and remained until the 1980's.
   
• In the 80's, the "I Love New York" advertising campaign had launched, so a new ball with red lights and a green stem to look like an apple was installed and remained from 1981-1988.   
  
  
• After 1988, a more traditional ball with the white lights returned. 
  
  
• In 1995, technological updates were made to the ball to include an aluminum skin, rhinestones, strobes and computer controls. 
  
  
• The birth of a new century in 1999-2000 demanded a new ball. It was completely redesigned, this time a crystal ball with the very latest lighting technology combined with traditional materials. 
  
  
• 2007 brought the 100 year anniversary of the New York Times ball drop, so again, updates were made to the ball. The incandescent bulbs were replaced with LED, which gave the ball color capabilities and increased brightness. This one is known as the Centennial Ball. 
  
  
• The owners of One Times Square were inspired by the beauty of the Centennial Ball to create a permanent one that was visible year-round. This new, permanent version is known as the Big Ball and is made of crystal triangles and over thirty-two-thousand LEDs. It weighs nearly six tons.

The most recent Times Square Ball
Photo By Alex Lozupone - Own work, CC

However, on New Year's Eve, a NEW version of the ball will be revealed, celebrating the 250th birthday of the United States. If the celebration's reputation continues, it will be a spectacle to be seen. 

The notoriety of the ball drop has inspired many kinds of "drops" around the world. Sometimes balls, like in Times Square, and other times cultural objects such as the Bermuda onion. To read more about this, you can check out the Wikipedia page here. 

Have you ever been to the Ball Drop in NYC? I'd love to hear about it in the comments below. 

*******

Two-time winner of the Christian Indie Award, Amber Lemus writes enthralling non-fiction for children and adults alike. She has a passion for travel, history, books and her Savior, so her writing is centered around faith, family and history.

She lives at the foot of the Rocky Mountains with her prince charming and two boys. Between enjoying life as a boy mom, and spinning stories out of soap bubbles, Amber loves to connect with readers and hang out on Goodreads with other bookish peoples.

Amber is a proud member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Association. Visit her online at www.AmberLemus.com/ and download a FREE story by subscribing to her Newsletter!

Every day is a Holiday: The Dining of Rome’s Privileged

by Liisa Eyerly

The Roman Empire stretched across continents, and with every conquest came new flavors, ingredients, and culinary habits. Exotic foods from distant provinces—spices from Arabia, fruits from Persia, seafood from North Africa—filtered into Roman kitchens. All classes tasted some of this diversity, but it was the elite who truly indulged. They embraced costly delicacies not just for pleasure, but for display—sometimes eating strange or downright unappetizing dishes simply to flaunt their wealth or their access to rare foreign goods.

(Just ask any Roman about garum, the infamous fermented fish sauce produced in massive coastal factories like the one depicted in the archaeological museum at Nabeul!)

If you’ve watched Roman-themed films or read some of my other posts, you know that for the upper classes a meal wasn’t just nourishment—it was theater. A feast was a social event, a political performance, and a declaration of status. As you climbed the social ladder, the food, spices, and preparation became increasingly elaborate, turning the dining room into a stage where power and prosperity were on full display.

Breakfast or ientaculum (sunrise to 8am, later for elites)

Poor - The poor needed calories for their workday and probably had very little variety in their day-old bread, cold barley or spelt porridge, and handfuls of olives augmented with occasional dates, raisins, or onions, and washing it down with cheap diluted wine or posca (a vinegar-water drink common for soldiers and the poor.)

Elite – Despite their wealth, even elites kept breakfast modest, saving extravagance for the midday prandium or the evening cena. A tasteful Roman wasn’t expected to gorge themselves at sunrise!

· The warm, tempting scent of fresh bread that Sabina, my sleuth, breathes in during her early morning walks past the public bakeries would drift just as richly through the private kitchens of the wealthy. Long before sunrise, their cooks and slaves were already kneading dough by lamplight, preparing the daily loaves that would be served with honey, costly olive oil, or soft cheeses from goat, cow, or sheep. Codrin.B / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA-3.0,2.5,2.0,1.0 & GFDL

· Porridge: although a staple on all tables, the elite would enrich theirs with honey, nuts, milk, and of course, fruit, which also topped pancakes and filled pastries.

· Fresh fruit: both local and imported would be piled on platters, cooked into jams, and squeezed into juice; fresh figs, grapes, pears, pomegranates, apples, exotic Syrian cherries, Persian peaches, and citrons, a rare citrus symbolizing status and luxury for the ancient Roman ruling elite. Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
· Eggs: boiled, fried, and in omelets made from all sorts of poultry were a common breakfast protein. Chicken, duck, goose, and rare but served as a sign of status—pigeon, dove, and peacock eggs.
· Cooked meat: Usually reserved for lunch or the evening meal but cold sausages, meat pies from the previous day, and fish was served.

This fresco is on a wall of a hallway of a Pompeii home that had a bakery in its annex. The fresco depicts a goblet of wine and various fruits, that include a pomegranate and a likely date. The pizza-like bread appears to have moretum, a cheese spread with herbs that was popular in ancient Rome. (see recipe link below)

Lunch or Prandium (Midday Meal) — (11 a.m.–1 p.m.) The Romans did not enjoy eating a large meal in the heat of the day. Lunch was generally light and informal—even for wealthy households. It was often eaten: * Sitting on a small stool * At a simple household table *Standing in the kitchen courtyard

Poor – cold meal to keep up energy – leftovers, bread (olive oil), carrots, turnips, and congealed porridge. Posca or cheap water-down wine.
Elite —
· Cold meats from last night’s dinner
· Grilled fish, shellfish, or poultry 
· Salads of lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, herbs, and olive oil
· Light pastries or sweetened nuts
· Egg dishes, omelets and custards
· Imported fruit like cherries, peaches, or figs
· Bread with honey, olive oil, and cheese
· Drinks: Diluted fine wine, Mulsum (wine with honey), Herbal drinks, and flavored waters

· Moretum —a Roman cheese spread made by mixing goat cheese with herbs, nuts, and olive oil using a mortar and pestle. It was eaten on flatbreads, much like modern dips or spreads. Some versions had garlic, resembling early pesto, while others used fruit for sweetness.

recipe https://recipes-for-life.com/ancient-roman-recipes/ 

Self-photographed by User:Bullenwächter, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

For elites, lunch was a chance to refresh and socialize—never a feast, but decidedly pleasant.

We’ve now worked our way toward next month's blog post - the grand finale: cena, the evening meal—where elite Romans truly put their wealth, refinement, and ambition on display. If you’d like to dive deeper into the fascinating world of Roman dining, I’ve explored these topics in earlier blog posts on my website, liisaeyerly.com.

In my August 2020 post, If You Eat With Your Fingers, You Might Be a Roman, I walk through the elaborate structure of elite dinners, including the ideal number of guests and the strict seating hierarchy that governed every triclinium.

And in February 2021, Grilled Sow’s Belly for Dinner, Anyone?, I highlight some of the most extravagant foods ever served at a Roman feast—among them one of my personal favorites: tender, milk-fed snails.

Together, these posts offer a vivid look at the rituals, extravagance, and surprising delicacies that made a Roman dinner an unforgettable social event.

SECRETS OF EPHESUS SERIES

Obedient Unto Death opens a gripping historical-mystery series set in the perilous world of first-century Rome, where early Christians walk a razor’s edge between faith and survival. In Fortunes of Death, fearless Christian sleuth Sabina returns—risking everything to expose murder, magic, and corruption beneath the empire’s glittering surface. With rich historical detail and powerful spiritual themes, author Liisa Eyerly delivers intrigue, danger, and hope in equal measure. Reviewer Deborah Anne raves: “Murder mystery—Intrigue—Love—Fellowship through Christ. This series has it all! Eyerly is wonderful! If you’re tired of boring—read this series! I love a good mystery!” Prepare to be hooked!

Liisa’s books have been called a cross between Agatha Christie and Francine Rivers. Her mystery novel, Obedient Unto Death, won the Eric Hoffer First Horizon Award for a debut novel and first place in the Spiritual Fiction category. The sequel, Fortunes of Death, continues with fresh intrigue and devilish twists. Liisa’s travels through Turkey, Greece, and Italy bring authenticity and color to every page, enriching her mysteries with vivid depictions of New Testament culture, history, and the people who shaped it.

Over the years, she’s been a teacher, small business owner, librarian, and lifelong learner. She and her husband live in northern Wisconsin where she channels her love of history, faith, and mystery into writing captivating and inspiring novels. Liisa’s journey into writing proves it’s never too late to follow your dreams and share your passion with the world.

Purchase her books at:
Crossriver Media https://www.crossrivermedia.com/product/fortunes-of-death/
Amazon book page https://amzn.to/3Di2gyQ

Visit Liisa at:
Her website www.LiisaEyerly.com
Author Facebook page at Liisa Eyerly Author page

Bibliography:
Wikipedia.com
Grokapedia.com
What did the ancient romans eat for breakfast? - Ancient Rome - February 24, 2023 by Ellen Hunter

Caesarea Maritima — Of Harbors and Hippodromes

 Guest post by Linda Dindzans

As a reader, I have never met a period of history that didn’t fascinate me. As an author, the stories that find me seem always to rise from the perilous, vibrant world of the Bible.

In 2019, my husband and I traveled to Israel, where we visited Caesarea Maritima along the Mediterranean shore. This ancient city—famed for its deep-water harbor and sweeping hippodrome—remains the largest Roman ruin in Israel today.

Herod’s Grand Vision: A Harbor in the Sea

Herod the Great took a modest Phoenician anchorage known as Strato’s Tower and transformed it into one of the marvels of the ancient world. Using volcanic ash called pozzolana, which hardens underwater into Roman cement, his engineers constructed a massive artificial harbor between 22 and 10 BCE. He named this harbor Sebastos—the Greek equivalent of “Augustus”—and it quickly became a major Roman port.

At the time, Sebastos was the largest man-made harbor ever built in open sea. Surrounding it, Herod constructed a magnificent city complete with a palace, theater, aqueducts, and a gleaming temple to Augustus.

The Hippodrome: Sport, Spectacle, and Survival

Caesarea’s hippodrome—stretching along the shoreline—held a prominent place in the city’s history. Here, crowds gathered for chariot races, athletic games, gladiatorial contests, and public executions.

As in Rome’s Circus Maximus, chariot racing in Caesarea was a war on wheels. Highly trained slave-drivers—aurigas—raced two-horse chariots (bigae) or four-horse chariots (quadrigae). They were assisted by an outrider on horseback and a man on foot who helped the charioteer manage treacherous tight turns and maneuver so rival teams would falter or crash. The dangers were many, often fatal. The rewards, if a driver survived long enough, included wealth, adoration, and—rarely—freedom.

As a biblical fiction author, I could not resist this setting of the hippodrome at Caesarea. Book Two of A Certain Future Series, A Certain Mercy, Scrivenings Press features several scenes in Caesarea including a life and death chariot race.

Rome Takes Control

By A.D. 6, Rome had annexed the region, placing it under the rule of governors or prefects. During the ministry of Jesus, the prefect was Pontius Pilate (26–36 CE), who resided in Caesarea—the Roman administrative and military headquarters. This relatively new capital bustled with Greeks, Jews, Romans, and travelers from across the Mediterranean.

In contrast, Jerusalem was ancient, holy, and volatile. Pilate traveled there only when politically necessary—during feast days or times of unrest.

The Pilate Stone: A Name Set in Stone

Before 1961, there was no physical evidence outside ancient texts that Pontius Pilate ever existed. That changed when archaeologists unearthed the now-famous “Pilate Stone.” Carved into this reused building block was a fragment of a dedication to Emperor Tiberius by Pontius Pilate, Prefect of Judea.

Found embedded in a staircase near the Herodian theater, the inscription remains the only contemporary physical artifact bearing Pilate’s name. Until its discovery, he was known solely from literary sources: the New Testament, apocryphal writings, Josephus, Philo, and Tacitus.

Caesarea in the Book of Acts

Linda's book features this beautiful setting.
Click on the cover to check it out.

The city appears repeatedly in the early Christian writings:

• Cornelius and the Gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 10): Here Peter preached to the Roman centurion Cornelius and witnessed the Holy Spirit fall on Gentiles for the first time.

• The Death of Agrippa I (Acts 12:19–23): Herod the Great’s grandson died in Caesarea after accepting worship during games held—likely—in the hippodrome.

• Paul’s Travels: Paul sailed to and from Caesarea many times (Acts 9, 18, 27).

• Paul’s Imprisonment: Paul spent two years under house arrest in Caesarea, facing Felix, Festus, and Agrippa II before appealing to Caesar (Acts 23–27). Luke, traveling with Paul, would have had freedom to gather eyewitness accounts that shaped his Gospel and the early chapters of Acts.

• The First Jewish Revolt: The revolt ignited in Caesarea in 66 A.D. After Jerusalem fell in 70 A.D., Titus forced 2,500 Jewish prisoners to fight to the death in Caesarea’s stadium as part of his victory celebrations. The spoils of this war likely funded construction of the Colosseum in Rome.

A Launching Point for the Gospel

Caesarea’s strategic position as a major port city—and the place where Peter first preached to Gentiles—made it one of the most effective launching points for spreading the gospel to the wider Roman world.

About Linda

Linda Dindzans, M.D. is a writer with the heart of a healer who offers readers stories of redemption and restoration. Though her compelling characters inhabit the treacherous times of the Bible, Linda believes the struggles of her characters still speak to hearts today. Her debut novel A Certain Man was released in August 2024. Her  next novel A Certain Mercy (December 2025) features several scenes  set in Caesarea.

References:

1. Israel's Most Impressive Roman Ruin- Street Gems
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PUBzVup4nc&t=53s
2. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/historical-notes-pontius-pilate-a-name-set-in-stone-1084786.html
3. https://cbnisrael.org/2020/12/01/caesarea/ Biblical Israel: Caesarea by Marc Turnage 
4. https://cbnisrael.org/2025/07/01/caesarea-where-the-gospel-penetrated-the-gentile-world5.
5. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Israel_9-08_134_(2909864855).jpg photo of Pilate stone
6. https://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/3887-caesarea#0
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caesarea_Maritima: Bibliography see below
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caesarea_Maritima#cite_note-Menachery87-25

• 24.Votruba, G. 2007. "Imported Building Materials of Sebastos Harbour, Israel." International Journal of Nautical Archaeology 36:325-335.
• 23.George Menachery, 1987 in Kodungallur, City of St. Thomas, Azhikode, 1987, Chapter II note 19 quotes the National Geographic article: Robert L. Hohlfelder, "Caesarea Maritima, Herod the Great's City on the Sea". The National Geographic, 171/2, February 1987, pp. 260-79.
• 21. Hohlfelder, R. 2007. "Constructing the Harbour of Caesarea Palaestina, Israel: New Evidence from ROMACONS Field Campaign of October 2005". International Journal of Nautical Archaeology 36:409-415.

Famous Instruments in History: The Organ of Johann Sebastian Bach

Blogger: Amber Lemus

Johann Sebastian Bach
Public Domain

Johann Sebastian Bach is a household name today. He is known as a masterful musician and a gifted composer. But during Bach's lifetime, he was better known as an organist. 

When compiling my list of the most famous instruments in history, I figured Bach's organ had to be on the list. However, I was surprised to find that while Bach owned many instruments, he didn't own an organ, the instrument he was most known for. 

Why didn't Bach own an organ?

That was my question as well. Turns out, in those days, they didn't have the small household organs we have today, they only had the massive, piped organs you see built into the walls of churches. These were not considered personal property but rather part of the architecture and infrastructure of the building, so the organ was owned by the institution, such as the church or royalty, rather than by the musician that was hired to play them. 

Then, what is considered the Bach organ?

Bach's entire professional career was built around the organ. From his very first appointment, he was playing the organ. So there are several instruments that are attributed to Bach.

The first resides at the Bach Church in Arnstadt. When Johann first came to work there, it was known as the New Church. The previous one had burned down, so a new one had been constructed on the same site. The organ was built by Johann Friedrich Wender, and inspected by eighteen-year-old Bach upon its completion. He was hired shortly afterwards to be the church organist. However, he only served here for a short time. After his term, his cousin took over, continuing the legacy of an organist by the name of Bach. While the organ has been altered and repaired over the centuries, it is the closest to the original that Bach played out of all the organs on record. The church was renamed after Bach in 1935 to honor Bach's connection to that church.

Current version of the Wender organ in the Bach Church, Arnstadt
Mtag, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Johann Sebastian Bach Church Anstadt
By Michael Sander - Self-photographed, CC BY-SA 3.0,

The second would be the organ at the court of Duke Wilhelm Ernst at Weimar. This is the organ Bach used to compose the majority of his organ compositions. It was considered his golden age as an organ composer. However this organ was later destroyed by fire, so it no longer exists. 

The third is the organ at St. Thomas Church in Leipzig Germany. This church is often referred to as "Bach's Church" although that is not its official name. Bach was the music director there from 1723 until his death in 1750. The building has been rebuilt or renovated many times and the organ from Bach's time is no longer present. However, they did build a replica of Bach's organ there in 2000. Bach's remains are now buried in the church, although they were not there originally. There is also a statue honoring Bach in front of the church. For these reasons, this is the church and organ most famous and commonly referred to as "Bach's". 

St. Thomas Church
By Dirk Goldhahn - Fotografiert von Dirk Goldhahn.,
Public Domain

Statue of Bach in front of St. Thomas Church
By Eric Pancer - I (Creative Commons)

Did Bach own any instruments?

While Bach didn't own an organ, he did own many other instruments. The inventory of his estate included five harpsichords, two Lautenwerckes otherwise known as lute harpsichords (which we will have to circle back to, because it is super interesting.), a spinet, three violins, three violas, two cellos, one lute, and several other instruments. These instruments were the ones he took with him and used at home to compose and also teach his students. 

Another fun fact is that Bach, in addition to being a masterful musician of many instruments, also had a wonderful voice. In fact, his scholarship to music school was because of his voice, not his instrument playing. 

Which of these organs do YOU think should be considered "The Bach Organ"? 

*****

Two-time winner of the Christian Indie Award, Amber Lemus inspires hearts through enthralling tales She has a passion for family, faith, facts and fiction. This combination results in what her readers call "historical fiction at its finest".  

She lives at the foot of the Rocky Mountains with her prince charming and two boys. Between enjoying life as a boy mom, and spinning stories out of soap bubbles, Amber loves to connect with readers.

Amber is a proud member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Association. Visit her online at http://www.amberlemus.com/  and download a FREE story by subscribing to her Newsletter!