"Historiae" Grzegorza z Tours jako źródło informacji o diecie mieszkańców VI-wiecznej Galii
"Historiae" of Gregory of Tours as a source of information on the diet in 6th-century Gaul

Summary/Abstract: The present article focuses on the presentation of excerpts from the main historical work written by Gregory, bishop of Tours, which deal with food and drink in the diet of his contemporaries in Gaul. The author devoted most space to the menu of the Frankish state elite – royal families, bishops and secular nobles. In addition, he gave some information on a diet of people who avoided the luxury and pleasures for God. The narration of Gregory is our article supported in our article by other sources: medical, historiographical, gastronomical, patristic etc. The most important among them were these written by Venantius Fortunatus, Sidonius Apollinaris, Anthimus, Galen, Oribasius, and Athenaeus of Naucratis. The analysis of the sources, leads us to the conclusion that despite the deep, multidimensional changes that took place between the 5th and 6th centuries in the areas known as Gaul, there were no major changes in the nutritional habits of the local people. It does not mean that the Germanic population did not influence the culinary world of 6th-century Gaul in any way. Sources confirm such influence, however, on this field it was not great. On the basis of the preserved treatises – and the Historiae of Gregory of Tours is one of our key source – one can observe the survival (and continuation) of ancient culinary traditions in the Frankish state.

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