A Soldier’s Belly, part 2

The Spartans, who had an answer to every issue imaginable when it came to warcraft, also solved the problem of a meal suitable for warriors. They called it ‘mélas zomós’ – the black soup. But its other name, ‘haimatía’, is more telling – as it was made out of boiled pork, blood and salt, it truly was a blood soup. The Spartans would eat it during their campaigns and found it very nourishing. Of course, it’s not the only example of a meal that sustained the warriors of old – the Greek soldiers would eat itrion, a type of cake made out of honey and sesame during their campaign against Troy. My point is: in the long and bloody history of combat, good warriors always looked for a way to fill their bellies, sometimes even mid-fight.