Roman-Style Pizza: The Ancient Origins of a Beloved Dish
While the modern pizza we know today—featuring tomato sauce and cheese—did not exist in ancient Rome, the concept of a flatbread with toppings was already popular. The Romans enjoyed a dish called "panis focacius," which was a type of flatbread cooked in large communal ovens. This dish evolved into what we recognize today as "focaccia", and it often served as the foundation for early forms of pizza.
What Did Roman Pizza Look Like?
Ancient Roman flatbreads were simple but flavorful. Unlike modern pizzas, which have a thin crust or a fluffy Neapolitan-style dough, Roman flatbreads were typically thick, crispy, and rustic. These early pizzas were usually topped with ingredients available at the time, including:
- Olive oil and herbs – Rosemary, thyme, and oregano were common toppings.
- Cheese – While mozzarella did not exist, the Romans used ricotta or pecorino cheese.
- Garum (fermented fish sauce) – A popular Roman seasoning that added a salty, umami flavor.
- Honey and dried fruits – Some variations included sweet toppings, resembling modern dessert pizzas.
- Vegetables and meats – Onions, garlic, olives, and small cuts of meat were also used.
This early form of pizza was sold in bakeries, markets, and street stalls, making it a popular food choice for workers, travelers, and soldiers.
The Giant Bread Ovens of Ancient Rome
The Romans were master bakers, and their massive bread ovens were an essential part of daily life. Because Rome had a large and ever-growing population, feeding the people required efficient large-scale baking techniques. To meet this demand, the Romans constructed enormous bread ovens, which could bake bread in vast quantities.
How Did Roman Bread Ovens Work?
Roman bread ovens, known as "fornax", were typically dome-shaped and made from stone or clay. These ovens functioned similarly to modern wood-fired pizza ovens but on a much larger scale. The key elements of these ovens included:
- A wide, open mouth – Allowed bakers to place large amounts of dough inside at once.
- A domed structure – Ensured even heat distribution.
- Wood-fired heating – Provided high temperatures necessary for baking crispy, golden-brown bread.
Large public bakeries, known as "pistrina," became central to Roman urban life, supplying bread to citizens across the empire. Some bakeries in cities like Pompeii had ovens so large that they could bake enough bread to feed hundreds of people at a time shutdown123