Beer was a daily staple for Mesopotamians, enjoyed by both commoners and gods.
In short: Beer brewing predates the Romans by thousands of years. This video explores the origins of beer in ancient Mesopotamia, its evolution through Egyptian refinement, and its shifting reputation across the ancient world, from a divine dietary staple to a drink dismissed by the Greeks and Romans.
The process recognized as beer brewing emerged in the Mesopotamian village of Godin Tepe, located in modern-day Iran, between 3500 and 3100 BCE. At this time, beer was a universal dietary staple consumed by all social classes. Because the beverage contained bread or herb remnants, it was traditionally sipped through a straw.
Ancient Egyptians later refined Sumerian brewing techniques, creating a smoother, lighter product that could be poured into vessels and consumed without a straw. While the drink was highly regarded in the Near East, its status declined in Europe; by 800 BCE, Germans were producing beer, yet the Greeks and Romans viewed it as an inferior drink suitable only for barbarians and the lower class.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: The Ancient History of Beer: Invention, Importance and Development of Beer
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