I am mostly interested in Philipos II and Alexandros III’s eras. I have read a lot about both of them and beyond (until the Roman conquests). Food, not so much. I recall reading somewhere that blood sausages were common. Also, apparently, the soldiers were well-fed on meat and could outmatch just about anyone in strength. I don’t know how accurate that stuff is.
As a person who emphasizes physical fitness and good nutrition in everyday life, I have a hard time believing that Alexander’s soldiers could have gone as far as they did living on onions, bread, and cheese.
I am aware of what ancient sources say, but I am looking for information that is more in-depth.
:)
Well.... they didn't only eat bread. They ate grain based-porridge. Or hard and dried biscuits. Water often and frequently, the old adage was the Macedonian troops would "drink up a river." When they'd take a town some more flavor, some condiments for their biscuits, cheese, vegetables, meat of sorts. But those were the rare occasions. It was a lot of "eat what you got." Because even as rich as Persia was, it was still a desert far away from home.
Moving troops away from the Mediterranean deprives an army the ability to use the sea for logistical transport, meaning all transport has to be land base. This is more costly, and for the purpose of food, slower. You want food that is light and won't spoil. Which is a lot of grain.
He needed more food though. So that's where locals came into play. The usual strategy would be to show up and demand food, but the conditions of Persia in the later 4th century BC were not all to forgiving. Many towns and tribes were just getting by, and unable to spare nearly enough food for a 50,000+ strong army. Alexander would often have hemerodromoi (Ancient Ultra Marathoners) run ahead to towns and villages to have them procure a stock of food weeks in advance. If the troops were going to eat any meat, it would be now, from whatever livestock they would be able to get. I do not know about the livestock or farming of the ancient middle east unfortunately.
Alexander was brilliant, and the fact that he pulled this off gives him the title "the Great." But his troops were asked of a lot, and they did everything. Conditions were harsh, as it was hot out often and water must have been harder to come by than normal. Meats of any kind would have been scarce, but preservation did exist. In the time of the Romans, there were merchants that may travel with the army to sell some more exotic foods that could spice up dinner, but I do not know if such things existed near Persia.
But hey, have you tried those new frosted flakes? Theeeeey're.... ^(Aleander the) Great!
Edit: Source https://www.jstor.org/stable/4348144?seq=2#metadata_info_tab_contents -Ancient Ultra Marathoning
Alexander the Great and the Logistics of the Macedonian Army - Engels, 1796
The Alexander parts come my notes from a lecture on Biogeography of the Middle East