Beyond Rome: Reconstruing diets on the North-Western Roman Frontier (Germania Inferior) at Xanten (DE) and Tongeren (BE) and Valkenburg (NL) through Stable Isotope Analysis.

This thesis aims to reconstruct the dietary patterns of the individuals living in the Roman Limes in Northwestern Europe (Germania inferior) using stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes on human bone and dentine collagen. Three sites were analysed: Xanten in Germany, Tongeren in Belgium, and Valkenburg in the Netherlands. This study is one of the first to investigate dietary habits in populations from Roman north-western Europe using stable isotope analysis. In total, sixty-one (n=61) samples were analysed for this purpose, including eleven faunal remains from the Xanten site. The analysis revealed that these three sites were relatively uniform regarding dietary habits, following a primarily terrestrial-based diet with predominantly consumption of C3 plants. Furthermore, based on the results, it is possible that individuals of Xanten and Tongeren consumed marine resources, although in small quantities. The consumption of aquatic resources in Valkenburg is debatable, as only one sample...Show moreThis thesis aims to reconstruct the dietary patterns of the individuals living in the Roman Limes in Northwestern Europe (Germania inferior) using stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes on human bone and dentine collagen. Three sites were analysed: Xanten in Germany, Tongeren in Belgium, and Valkenburg in the Netherlands. This study is one of the first to investigate dietary habits in populations from Roman north-western Europe using stable isotope analysis. In total, sixty-one (n=61) samples were analysed for this purpose, including eleven faunal remains from the Xanten site. The analysis revealed that these three sites were relatively uniform regarding dietary habits, following a primarily terrestrial-based diet with predominantly consumption of C3 plants. Furthermore, based on the results, it is possible that individuals of Xanten and Tongeren consumed marine resources, although in small quantities. The consumption of aquatic resources in Valkenburg is debatable, as only one sample has been analysed, which needs to be more representative. The comparative analysis of the analysed sites was performed with a few sites from north-western Europe from the Iron Age, as well as the Roman province of Britannia and the Mediterranean region. The analysis revealed shifts in diets from the Iron Age to the Roman period, especially in marine resources. The consumption of marine/aquatic foods was not observed during the Iron Age, except in the Netherlands. This seems to have changed in the Roman period. Furthermore, Britannia showed many similarities with Germania Inferior province regarding diet, indicating a relatively uniform diet across these two provinces, although slight differences in the number of animal proteins per site are visible. The Mediterranean region has a high variability based on region. Nevertheless, a similar factor is the consumption of marine sources in both areas, which may be attributed to the Romanisation process. Interestingly, the sites of Xanten and Tongeren display similar dietary patterns to those of Pompeii.Show less

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Beyond Rome: Reconstruing diets on the North-Western Roman Frontier (Germania Inferior) at Xanten (DE) and Tongeren (BE) and Valkenburg (NL) through Stable Isotope Analysis.