Ancient Roman Olive Oil + Olive Oil Tasting
Wednesday 29 October 2025, 7pm
Lower Lecture Room, Lincoln College
Free but registration is required
Register via Eventbrite here
In collaboration with the Lincoln Classics Society and the Food Society of Oxford, this event explores the fascinating world of olive oil through an interdisciplinary lens. The session begins with an introductory talk by Marie Theres Wittmann on the history and production steps of ancient olive oil, exploring the archaeological evidence, economic significance and modern challenges of olive oil and presses in the ancient world. This presentation is followed by an olive oil tasting, offering participants the opportunity to experience the sensory qualities and enduring traditions surrounding this ancient craft. Together, these sessions invite reflection on the intersections between classical scholarship, food history, and modern culinary appreciation.
Marie Theres Wittmann is a DPhil student working on Roman North Africa and its urban development at a time, when the Roman African provinces were flourishing because of their production, trade and export of olive oil, i.e. during the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD. She has published on the importance and economic impact of olive oil production in the ancient world of ancient cosmetics and bathing. Besides some archaeological experiments with olive oil and excavating olive presses in Tunisia during the summer, she worked in a 2-Michelin-star restaurant in Berlin and is a trained sommelier.
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