Have you ever wondered what soldiers ate throughout history? Keeping an army fed has always been a big challenge for military leaders. In fact, some battles and entire campaigns have been lost because soldiers didn’t have enough to eat. Today, there are many ways to quickly get food to troops, and we have advanced methods to keep food fresh and nutritious. But it wasn’t always like this. Before modern transportation and roads, feeding an army, especially one on the move, was much harder.
In ancient times, armies had a few options for getting food. They could carry supplies with them, live off the land, buy or take food from local people, or stay near the sea if they had ships. They used methods like curing, pickling, and salting to preserve food, but the meals were often boring and not very nutritious.
For example, in ancient Egypt, soldiers had to carry their own food and water. Their meals were described as small and not very tasty. Over time, their diet improved to include vegetables, meats, fruits, and legumes.
In ancient Greece, soldiers known as hoplites ate barley, grains, salt fish, olives, and onions. They were responsible for their own food, which they got from home or markets. They often had a slave to help carry their supplies and cooking tools. During campaigns, they had to bring three days’ worth of food and then resupply in friendly areas or find food in enemy lands.
The Roman army was probably the best-fed army of the ancient world. Despite the vast size of the Roman Empire, they were very organized. Roman soldiers received regular rations of grain, meats like salt pork, vegetables, cheese, salt, sour wine, and olive oil. When stationed at a base, they had a central kitchen, but on the move, small groups of soldiers cooked their own meals. They made bread or porridge from their grain rations, and when they needed to move quickly, they ate “biscuit,” a long-lasting twice-baked bread.
In medieval Europe, armies weren’t as organized as the Romans, but soldiers usually got some basic supplies at the start of a campaign. For example, when King Edward III went to France in 1346, he brought lots of mutton, beef, pork, cheese, peas, beans, oats, bread, and dried fish. During long campaigns, soldiers often had to buy food locally or forage in the countryside.
During the Peninsular War (1808-1814), British soldiers were supposed to get daily rations of hardtack, meat, and spirits like rum. However, these rations often weren’t enough, and supply deliveries were unreliable. Soldiers had to buy their own food or forage, but their pay was low, making it difficult. Although looting was officially punishable by death, it was common, and officers often ignored it.
French soldiers had similar rations but carried only a few days’ worth of supplies. Napoleon wanted his armies to move quickly and be self-sufficient, so he encouraged foraging. This led to frequent looting, known as “la maraude.”
Napoleon’s failed Russian campaign is a famous example of poor logistics and lack of supplies, leading to many soldiers starving.
Interestingly, the basic diet of Western armies didn’t change much over the centuries. Salted meat, bread or grain, legumes, salt, cheese, beer, and wine were common. This was because these foods were available and suitable for military life.
In the early 1800s, food preservation improved with the invention of canning, which changed military rations. Although it took time, this eventually led to more varied diets for soldiers in the 19th century.
Imagine you are a soldier from one of the historical periods mentioned in the article. Create a menu for a day, using the foods available to soldiers at that time. Consider the preservation methods and the challenges they faced. Share your menu with the class and explain your choices.
Try preserving a small amount of food using ancient methods like salting or pickling. Document the process and observe how well the food keeps over a week. Discuss how these methods were crucial for soldiers in history and compare them to modern preservation techniques.
Divide into groups and role-play a debate between military leaders from different historical periods about the best strategies for feeding an army. Consider factors like logistics, nutrition, and the impact on military success. Present your arguments to the class.
Using a map, trace the possible supply routes for an army during a historical campaign mentioned in the article. Identify the challenges they might have faced in transporting food and how geography influenced their strategies. Present your findings to the class.
Research the current diet of soldiers in the military today. Compare it to the diets of soldiers from the past as described in the article. Create a presentation highlighting the differences and similarities, focusing on nutrition, preservation, and logistics.
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What did soldiers eat throughout history? The logistical demand of keeping an army supplied with food has been a key consideration for military commanders. Battles and even entire campaigns have been lost due to an underfed army. Nowadays, there are multiple methods by which food can be delivered to troops quickly, as well as innovative methods of food preservation and storage that ensure the food they receive is highly nutritious and varied. However, this has not always been the case. Before mechanized transportation and the advent of proper roads, maintaining regular food rations for an army, especially one on the move, was a much more challenging task.
Ancient armies either had to carry their supplies with them, live off the land, purchase or steal from local populations, maintain often lengthy supply lines, or, assuming they were lucky enough to come from a civilization with naval abilities, remain close to the sea for supplies. Traditional methods of food preservation, such as curing, pickling, and salting, could keep meats and vegetables edible for long periods, but food was often monotonous, poor quality, and lacking in nutrition.
Surviving records of daily life for the average soldier in the earliest known armies are limited, but some information has been passed down to us. In ancient Egypt, for example, one contemporary writer describes military rations as meager and unpleasant, while other sources tell us that each soldier was responsible for carrying his own supply of food and water. As time passed, the life of an Egyptian soldier, at least in terms of food, seems to have become a little easier, and we know they consumed a variety of vegetables, meats, fruits, and legumes.
In ancient Greece, the average hoplite had a diet consisting of barley, grains, salt fish, olives, onions, and whatever else he could loot or forage. He was responsible for his own food, which he would get from his domestic stores or markets. Hoplites were accompanied by a slave who carried their rations, cooking utensils, and bedding. They were also known to carry iron spits for grilling meat. For land campaigns, the hoplite was ordered to bring three days’ worth of supplies. Once these provisions ran out, they would resupply in a friendly or neutral city, or forage for food in enemy territory.
Of all the armies of the ancient world, the Roman army was arguably the best fed. The vast distances of the Roman Empire posed a huge task for keeping troops supplied, but a skill for organization was a major factor behind Roman expansion. From at least the 3rd century BC, Roman soldiers received a standard grain ration on a set day. Although there is some variation in ancient sources regarding the Roman military diet, it can be broadly stated that a Roman soldier could expect to receive rations of grain, meats (mainly salt pork), vegetables (such as lentils and beans), cheese, salt, sour wine, and olive oil.
While garrisoned, a Roman soldier could rely on a centralized kitchen for cooking meals, but on campaign, each contubernium (a squad of eight men) was responsible for preparing their own food. The grain ration was typically used in one of two ways: either as bread, which required a lengthy milling process before being baked, or as porridge made from raw grain. When the army needed to move quickly, soldiers were supplied with a pre-made ration called “biscuit,” a form of twice-baked bread that has remained a staple of military rations due to its long shelf life.
Although the armies of medieval Europe were generally not as organized as the ancient Romans, a common foot soldier could usually expect to have some basic supplies provided, especially at the beginning of a campaign. For example, when Edward III arrived in France in 1346, he brought large quantities of mutton, beef, pork, cheese, peas, beans, oats, wheat cakes, bread, and dried fish. There are also surviving orders from Henry V telling English bakers and brewers to increase their output in preparation for the Agincourt campaign in 1415.
During lengthy campaigns, even the best-prepared army could not hope to carry all the provisions needed, and soldiers were often forced to purchase supplies from local markets or forage from the surrounding countryside. Throughout the Peninsular War (1808-1814), the men of the Duke of Wellington’s army were supposed to receive daily rations consisting of one pound of hardtack, one pound of meat (usually beef), and one-third of a pint of spirits (most often rum). Occasionally, these rations were supplemented or substituted by other goods, although these were not always an improvement.
Colonel Jonathan Leach described one fortnight-long march where the only rations distributed consisted of meat and a combination of bran, coarse flour, and straw. The standard ration often fell short of providing the caloric needs of a soldier on campaign, and the delivery of supplies was frequently unreliable. To make up this deficit, soldiers had two choices: purchase their own supplies or forage. However, the pay of a rank-and-file soldier was extremely low, especially after stoppages, making purchasing difficult. Wellington issued orders declaring plundering punishable by death, although this sentence was rarely enforced. Despite the risks, looting was widespread, and officers sympathetic to their men’s hunger often turned a blind eye.
French soldiers received similar daily rations to their British counterparts, but only a few days’ supply were carried at a time. Napoleon preferred his armies to be quick-moving and self-sufficient, encouraging his men to forage or requisition goods. Looting occurred frequently enough that the tactic became known as “la maraude,” and although it was often forbidden, it was not unusual for a blind eye to be turned.
The spectacular failure of Napoleon’s Russian campaign, widely regarded as one of the greatest military disasters of all time, can largely be attributed to poor logistics, a lack of supplies, and the Russians’ scorched earth tactics, which eventually led to the death by starvation of tens of thousands of men.
Interestingly, the basic diet of Western armies changed very little over the centuries. Salted meat, bread or grain, legumes, salt, cheese, beer, and wine remained the mainstays of the military diet for centuries. This consistency was not due to military planning but rather reflected the types of food available in the Western world that were suitable for life on campaign.
In the early 1800s, major advances in food preservation, particularly the development of canning, revolutionized military rationing. Although change was slow to begin with, it ultimately paved the way for a more varied diet for modern soldiers. In the 19th century, soldiers experienced a lot of variation in their food rations.
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Soldiers – Individuals who serve in an army and are trained for warfare – During the American Revolution, soldiers fought bravely for their independence.
Food – Substances consumed to provide nutritional support for the body – In ancient Rome, food such as bread and olives was a staple in the diet of many citizens.
Ancient – Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence – The ancient civilization of Egypt is known for its impressive pyramids and pharaohs.
Empire – A group of states or territories controlled by one ruler or government – The Roman Empire was one of the largest empires in history, spanning across Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Rations – A fixed allowance of provisions or food, especially for soldiers or sailors during a shortage – During World War II, soldiers often had to rely on rations to sustain themselves in the field.
Campaigns – Organized series of military operations intended to achieve a particular objective – The military campaigns of Alexander the Great expanded his empire across three continents.
Supplies – Essential items needed for a particular purpose, especially for survival or military operations – The success of the expedition depended on the timely arrival of supplies.
Preservation – The act of maintaining something in its original or existing state – The preservation of historical documents is crucial for understanding our past.
Logistics – The detailed coordination of complex operations involving people, facilities, and supplies – Effective logistics were essential for the Roman legions to maintain their dominance in battle.
Europe – A continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere – The Renaissance was a period of great cultural and intellectual growth in Europe.
