Even Jesus Drank This Insane Roman Energy Drink

Romans drank Posca, a watered down red wine vinegar drink mixed with salt and herbs.

Well not all Romans did. It was a drink reserved for the military class which many ambitious Roman rulers took part in in their youth.

It is traditionally thought of as non alcoholic after all the Romans kept their soldiers in wine stores anyway.

However the use of watered down wine for soldiers of the Roman legions was an effective way of stretching wine rations.

In this way morale was boosted and satisfied the logistical nightmare of keeping hundreds of thousands of soldiers nourished.

Roman Energy Drink

The Roman drink posca comes from the Latin word for drink, potor.

This Latin word combined with the Greek word epoxos meaning “very sharp”. The two came together to create posca.

The Byzantines later called it phouska.

To make posca the Romans took red wine vinegar, most likely a byproduct of rancid wine and added water, salt, and herbs.

Some probably then added wine.

To a battle weary Roman legion the rejuvenating effects of posca were likely a result of it containing basic electrolytes.

The salt content provided sodium which is lost during perspiration as a result of heavy physical activity.

Some have attributed the simplicity and widespread adoption of posca by the military as a reason for its success.

This may be partially true.

Roman Military Life

The major factor for Roman legion satisfaction was the incentives they went into combat with and strict training.

Loot was the biggest incentive.

Greek historian Polybius tells us one story of Roman indulgence in his work The Histories.

Polybius in his eyewitness account of the fall of Carthage by Roman invasion in 146 BC tells a story of how the Romans acted while conquering a new city.

The Romans he says moved in to plunder with one group of them devoted to looting while the other group was there to protect the looters.

All loot gathered was then collected and split evenly among the legion by its tribunes.

Not only the loot was enticing but to any sadists of the bunch there was ample opportunity to do so.

Polybius describes how the Romans came in and were told to strike terror in the city by dismembering enemy corpses even animals, leaving them on display for all to see.

Roman Cuisine

The Roman poet Horace once said “truth in wine” (in vino veritas), the Romans were in a love affair with wine.

Typically the Romans mixed wine with water and consumed it.

The idea of drunkenness was different in Roman society the idea of being drunk was associated with man’s brutish nature.

This had a negative connotation as it was compared to being like the barbaric Gauls which was a hefty insult to a Roman.

Health Benefits of Posca

Here are some reasons why the Romans enjoyed the health benefits of posca:

The acetic acid in red wine vinegar lowers blood sugar levels which means safety from diabetes.

Sodium content replenishes lost electrolytes from heavy workouts.

It contains probiotics as a result of fermentation.

How to Make Posca

The recipe calls for red wine vinegar, water, herbs, and red wine.

Mix the wine in a bowl with vinegar and let it ferment for a month in a dark place.

Jesus’s Crucifixion

The Christian scriptures tell us that when dying Jesus of Nazareth was thirsty and therefore was offered a drink by those below him at the cross.

A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine upon a branch of hyssop and brought it up to His mouth. John 19:29 (NASB)

Sour wine which is translated from the Greek word oxos, meaning “very sharp”, most likely refers to Roman posca.

Think about it would the Roman soldiers guarding the cross be drinking vinegar as some translations suggest or more likely their beloved posca?