Wine And Words In Classical Antiquity And The Middle Ages

The subject of Wine and Words is the central role that wine plays in the literature, history and religion of classical and medieval Europe. Drawing on original sources from the Bible to Chaucer and Dunbar, Hanneke Wilson examines myths and legends about the origins of viticulture; drunkenness and moderation; women and wine; the mixing of wine and water, and ideas of 'old' and 'new' wine. The drunkenness of Noah, the cult of Dionysus, the ancient Romans' ban on women drinking wine, the drinking habits of Alexander the Great---these are some of the fascinating topics covered in this thematically arranged book. Finally, the final chapter and the Epilogue look at the development of methods of preservation and storage of wine, from the classical amphora to the modern bottle. Wherever possible, sources are examined in their original languages (mainly Greek and Latin), but English translations are supplied throughout, making this book accessible and interesting to both scholar and interested general reader.