Aristophanes and stable isotopes: a taste for freshwater fish in Classical Thebes (Greece)?

Abstract

Link to this article: http://journals.cambridge.org/abstract_S0003598X00099361 How to cite this article: E. Vika, V. Aravantinos and M.P. Richards (2009). Aristophanes and stable isotopes: a taste for freshwater sh in Stable isotopes in skeletons indicate changes in diet, and a sample of humans from Classical Thebes showed an unexpected increase in nitrogen values -usually associated with increased access to protein. But from what and how? After considering the possible sources of meat, milk and manure, the authors highlight the contribution of freshwater fish, and find support in Aristophanes -where the citizens are heard clamouring for the eels of Lake Kopais.

Diachronic dietary reconstructions in ancient Thebes, Greece: results from stable isotope analyses

“…Here, the values are discussed as belonging to a group, and since the average is enriched relative to both the group of the previous time period and the fauna, the enrichment will be explained with diet. It is discussed in detail elsewhere (Vika et al, 2009) that social pressure of this time period in Thebes determined maximum resource exploitation. Although there is no direct evidence for a sudden increase in animal slaughtering, it is reasonable to assume that a more systematic consumption of meat from herbivorous animals and more so of their milk products was occurring in this period.…”

“…Depending on the model one accepts for transhumance in Classical Thebes, the argument for manuring becomes less or more plausible. It is however, noteworthy, that in the absence of other causes, consumption of manured cereals should be examined as a parameter of increasing human nitrogen values (for a thorough discussion of Classical Theban diets, please see Vika et al, 2009). It is important to mention that extra-dietary parameters also influence isotopic values (as discussed more recently in Sponheimer et al, 2003;Schwarcz et al, 1999;Fuller et al, 2004Fuller et al, , 2005.…”

“…Both chronology and geography of ancient Greece are well represented. The Neolithic (Papathanasiou, 2003), Bronze Age (Vika, in press;Richards and Vika, 2008;Petroutsa and Manolis, 2010), Classical times (Vika et al, 2009), Byzantine times (Bourbou and Richards, 2007) have provided examples, and most of the geographic area, from the north to Crete and the islands is covered. All of these studies, although significant, constitute isolated presentations of one specific time period.…”

Stable isotope analysis of the dietary habits of a Greek community in Archaic Syracuse (Sicily): a pilot study

“…A further study, focusing on Classical Thebes (Vika, Aravantinos, & Richards 2015), shows similar values to Metaponto, Athens and Makriyalos, but with a statistically significant increase in δ 15 N values interpreted as evidence of consumption of freshwater fish in the area, a view supported also by historical sources (Vika, Aravantinos, & Richards 2015: 1080. Vika (2011) has carried out a diachronic study, showing that the consumption of freshwater fish in Classical Thebes decreased in the Hellenistic period, even if fish remained present in the diet, unlike in individuals from Bronze Age contexts.…”

The environmental history of Classical and Hellenistic Greece: The contribution of environmental archaeology

“…As a result, debate has raged for more than a century already over whether fishing was a well‐developed and well‐integrated component of the Greek economy, like animal husbandry, or rather a marginal activity (Davidson, ; Dumont, /1977; Gallant, ; Rostovtzeff, ). Stable isotope analysis both of animal and human remains can offer some insight, and recent studies on Classical and Hellenistic human remains from Thebes present an excellent example of the valuable information on diet that can be obtained from such research (Vika, ; Vika, Aravantinos, & Richards, ). It is evident that there was considerable demand for fish in Classical and Hellenistic Greece, facilitated by dense distribution networks (Mylona, , pp.…”