Archaeologists have uncovered rare evidence that Greek and Roman cooking coexisted in a single ancient city, not by blending traditions but by quietly sharing the same tools beneath the surface.
The discovery comes from Fregellae, an ancient town founded in 328 BC in southern Latium. The city stood at a major crossroads of river and trade routes. It drew people from various backgrounds, including Roman-Latin settlers, Samnites, Greeks from Southern Italy, and families influenced by Greek culture. When Roman forces destroyed the city in 125 BC, it was never rebuilt. That sudden end preserved daily life in unusual detail.
A new study led by archaeologist Barbara Borgers and published in Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences focuses on one overlooked aspect of life in the city: cooking pottery. Researchers sought to determine whether different cultural groups relied on imported cookware or produced it locally.
Different traditions, shared kitchens
Excavations of four homes revealed two distinct styles of cooking vessels. Some followed Roman-Latin traditions. These included rounded pots for boiling, shallow pans for frying or roasting, and flat lids for baking. Others reflected Greek-style cookware common in Magna Graecia, such as rounded pots and wide bowls designed for slow cooking.
In three of the four houses, both types were found together. This suggests that different cooking traditions existed side by side within the same homes or neighborhoods. Only one house contained Roman-style vessels alone. At first glance, the differences appeared cultural, but scientific testing told a different story.
Testing the clay behind the culture
Researchers analyzed 39 pottery fragments using multiple scientific methods. They examined the clay under microscopes, measured chemical composition, identified minerals, and studied internal structures to estimate firing temperatures.
The results were clear. Thirty-eight of the 39 samples shared the same material signature. Roman-style and Greek-style vessels were made from the same clay mixture and fired using the same techniques.
Only one Greek-style bowl showed a different composition, indicating it was likely imported. This means most cooking vessels in Fregellae were produced locally, regardless of cultural style.
A local recipe for pottery
The clay used for the pots was rich in iron and low in calcium. Its composition matches deposits found near Fregellae, especially along nearby river valleys. The pottery also contained quartz grains, limestone fragments, and volcanic minerals.
New research shows how Greek and Roman cooking coexisted in one ancient city. Different pot shapes, same local clay and techniques. Even daily meals tell a story of cultural exchange in Republican Italy. pic.twitter.com/GaOuojtGue
— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) February 2, 2026
The rounded shape of these inclusions shows they were not added deliberately. Instead, potters used naturally mixed river sands. Researchers believe raw materials were collected near the meeting point of local rivers, where sediments from different geological regions blended naturally. This natural mixture became the shared base for all local cookware.
Fired with care and skill
The vessels were fired at relatively low temperatures, around 850 degrees Celsius. This was a careful choice. Limestone in clay can cause pottery to crack if overheated. By controlling firing conditions, potters hardened the vessels without damaging them.
The uniform color of the pottery supports the idea of steady, well-managed firing. These details point to an experienced local pottery industry that supplied the city’s daily needs.
Culture expressed through form, not material
The study reveals that cultural identity in Fregellae was expressed through the shape of cooking vessels, rather than the manner in which they were made. Either a single group of artisans produced cookware for different traditions, or several groups shared the same technical knowledge while shaping vessels differently.
Imported cookware appears to have been rare. Most daily cooking relied on local production. By examining ordinary kitchen objects, the research offers a grounded view of cultural life in a Roman colony. Greek and Roman traditions did not replace one another.
They shared resources, skills, and materials while preserving their own ways of cooking. In the kitchens of Fregellae, coexistence was practical, local, and part of everyday life.