Roman Gatorade

[Kολοσσός]

The drink of the Roman legionary was water + vinegar. The wine of the slaves which has a number of strange ingredients (including seawater) also included vinegar. Can any of the enlightened history majors tells me if the vinegar was added because the Romans liked the flavor (?!!) or because it had some special thirst-quenching properties I'm not aware of?

[russia almighty]

Vinegar has electrolytes in it. Slaughtering barbarians really does sap ye so a little Roman Gatorade and your all set .

Basically along with water the electrolytes will help get the body back into homeostasis .

[Sir Edward]

Adding vinegar is also a cheap way to kill some of the microbes that may be in the water

[Hellenic_Hoplite]

Thats intereasting, I actually never knew that. any idea how much vinegar they would put in their water?

[Kολοσσός]

When I was young and stupid I read Bible accounts about Roman soldiers giving Christ water & vinegar to drink as he was dying on a cross. I thought it was some form of ancient vinegar torture to make the condemned man suffer even more. In reality Christ must have actually benefited from such a shot of electrolytes. The Roman sentry was probably acting out of genuine compassion as vinegar water was probably his favorite drink consumed as frequently as we drink cola.

[Kολοσσός]

Thats intereasting, I actually never knew that. any idea how much vinegar they would put in their water?

No idea but there are recipes on the web and I think we should give it a try and taste it...and post reactions.

[Hellenic_Hoplite]

I certainly woulden't mind giving it a try, I could take some of it to my reenactments

[J.Alco]

Wow, just had an idea of how a TV ad for Roman gatorade would play out:

"If you get tired after only an hour of killing smelly barbarians, maybe you need..."

[mlc82]

Wow, just had an idea of how a TV ad for Roman gatorade would play out:

"If you get tired after only an hour of killing smelly barbarians, maybe you need..."

"All that pillaging, raping, and plundering causing you to feel a little hung over? Have some Posca, the Thirst Mutilator!"

[Mouzafphaerre]

.
Deja vu?
.

[CaesarAugustus]

Interesting thread indeed! I'm too scared to try this myself though, I prefer the smell of horse @#$% to vinegar any time.