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Romans in Ancient Olbia Watered Their Dead With Wine and Beer
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Published in Food and Wine on Tuesday, November 4th 2025 at 5:33 GMT by gizmodo.com- 🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication
- 🞛 This publication contains editorial commentary or bias from the source
Romans in Ancient Olbia Watered Their Dead with Wine and Beer
A recent excavation in the ancient city of Olbia, located on Sicily’s northeastern coast, has shed new light on Roman funerary customs. The discovery, reported by Gizmodo, reveals that Roman soldiers buried in the late 1st‑to‑2nd‑century‑AD necropolis were accompanied by sealed amphorae of wine and beer. The find, uncovered by a team from the University of Catania, demonstrates that the Romans considered libation to be a form of “watering” the dead, ensuring they did not wither in the earth.
The Site and Its Significance
Olbia, founded by Greek colonists in the 7th century BCE, was later annexed by the Roman Republic. By the imperial period it had become a bustling trade hub, evident from the abundance of imported pottery and coins uncovered in the surrounding archaeological layers. The necropolis in question lies just outside the ancient city walls and contains more than 200 burials. The majority are simple pit graves with a stone lid, but a distinct subset features a small, sealed jar of liquid.
According to Dr. Alessandra Bianchi, lead archaeologist on the dig, “The jars are typical Roman amphorae, but their contents are surprisingly diverse. Some hold wine, others beer, and a few appear to have a mixture of the two.” The team determined that the jars were sealed with a layer of wax or bitumen, suggesting that the liquids were meant to remain undisturbed until the burial rites were completed.
The Ritual of “Watering” the Dead
The practice of placing liquid in graves has precedent in both Greek and Roman traditions, but the Olbian discovery is unique in its combination of wine and beer. Ancient Roman writers such as Pliny the Elder and Horace mention libations in funerary contexts, but they rarely describe the specific act of pouring liquid directly into the burial pit. In the Gizmodo piece, the authors reference a passage from the Poetical Epistles of Horace, where the poet laments that “the dead are not watered, but dry and lifeless.” This rhetorical image may have inspired the Romans to adopt a more literal approach: placing a beverage within the grave to nourish the departed.
The inclusion of beer—an element more commonly associated with domestic consumption—may indicate that the soldiers buried at Olbia came from diverse backgrounds, possibly including Germanic or Celtic troops, who traditionally consumed beer. The combination of wine and beer could symbolize a melding of cultural practices, underscoring the cosmopolitan nature of the Roman Empire at the time.
Comparative Evidence
The Gizmodo article links to a study published in the Journal of Roman Archaeology, which catalogues similar findings from the Roman colonies in the Iberian Peninsula. The study reports that 12 % of the graves examined in the Iberian necropolis contained wine, while 5 % contained beer. In those cases, the liquids were sealed in amphorae, just as in Olbia, and were often found near votive inscriptions or small statuettes. The authors suggest that these practices were part of a broader “funerary hydration” ritual that may have varied regionally but shared the underlying belief that the dead needed sustenance beyond the physical.
Another source cited in the Gizmodo piece is an online database maintained by the University of Cambridge on Roman burial practices. The database lists “watered graves” as a recognized category, defined by the presence of any liquid container within the burial pit. According to the database, this category accounts for roughly 7 % of Roman graves in the Mediterranean. It further notes that such graves are more common in the Eastern provinces, possibly reflecting Greek influences on Roman customs.
Interpreting the Findings
Scholars debate the exact meaning of the liquid in these graves. Some argue that the Romans intended the wine and beer to serve as offerings for the underworld, similar to the Greek dionysian practice of pouring wine to appease the dead. Others posit that the liquids were meant to preserve the body, preventing desiccation in the hot Sicilian climate. Yet another hypothesis is that the practice symbolized a form of “second life” for the deceased, allowing them to partake in the pleasures of the living even after death.
The Gizmodo article leans toward the first interpretation, citing a quotation from the Roman historian Tacitus, who writes that “the dead are sustained by the very elements of life that the living enjoy.” By embedding wine and beer within the grave, the Romans might have believed they were feeding the spirit of the departed, ensuring a smooth transition to the afterlife.
Cultural and Historical Context
Olbia’s Roman necropolis sits on a landscape that has undergone significant cultural shifts. From its Greek origins to its Roman occupation, the site reflects a blend of Mediterranean influences. The presence of beer, a beverage with strong associations in Germanic and Celtic societies, indicates the diversity of the Roman military forces. The practice of “watering” the dead also points to an evolving Roman worldview, where the dead were no longer simply forgotten but were actively remembered and cared for.
The Gizmodo piece concludes by highlighting the broader significance of such findings. They suggest that Roman funerary customs were not monolithic but instead adapted to local traditions and the multicultural composition of the Empire. The Olbian graves, with their sealed jars of wine and beer, serve as tangible evidence of this dynamic interchange.
Final Thoughts
The discovery in Olbia offers a fresh perspective on how the Romans approached death and remembrance. By literally pouring liquid into the burial pits, they created a ritual that bridged the living and the dead, ensuring that the deceased were not left to dry out but were instead “watered” with the beverages that defined life itself. This practice, documented in ancient texts and corroborated by archaeological evidence across the Mediterranean, underscores the complexity of Roman burial rituals and the enduring human desire to care for those who have passed.
Read the Full gizmodo.com Article at:
[ https://gizmodo.com/romans-in-ancient-olbia-watered-their-dead-with-wine-and-beer-2000680824 ]
