Living and dying at the Portus Romae

This paper presents the first results of research into plant, animal, and human remains from Portus, the maritime port of Imperial Rome, in order to shed light upon the diet and geographical origins of its inhabitants between the second and sixth century AD. In comparison with evidence from excavation and ceramic analysis, we see clear and significant changes throughout the time period studied, including shifts in diet composition and patterns in the import of food stuffs from across the Mediterranean.