Roman banquet

Toga-clad dinner party

A Roman banquet refers to the elaborate feasts of ancient Rome, famous for their excess—multiple courses, reclining diners, and legendary indulgence.

The phrase now evokes any lavish, drawn-out meal with abundant food and wine: The wedding reception was a Roman banquet that lasted until midnight.

Sometimes used ironically for over-the-top entertaining.

Related

dice games · storytelling · olives · figs · theatrical performances · oil lamps · symposium · gift-giving customs · lentils · honey cakes · finger bowls · colonnades · philosophical debates · Pompeii ruins · laurel wreaths · vaulted ceilings · slaves · terracotta tiles

Categories
Opposites
elaborateness and scale of meal

Roman banquetbread and water

Minimal prisoner's diet

gruel · quick meal · snack · fast food · hardtack

social and ritualistic character

Roman banqueteating alone

Consuming food unaccompanied

grab-and-go · meal replacement shake

moral/cultural connotation

Roman banquetfasting

Deliberate food avoidance

abstinence · self-denial · temperance

Family

Roman, Rome, Romans, romance, Romance, romances, romantic, romantically, romanticism

Familiarity
Top 500,000
Profile
Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G