In ancient Roman

Ancient Rome

Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....

culture, cena was the main meal of the day. It was a focal point of social life, along with the public baths

Ancient Roman bathing

Bathing played a major part in ancient Roman culture and society.Bathing was one of the most common daily activities in Roman culture, and was practiced across a wide variety of social classes. Though many contemporary cultures see bathing as a very private activity conducted in the home, bathing...

, the frequenting of which often preceded the meal. Seating during dinner was arranged in the triclinium

Triclinium

A triclinium is a formal dining room in a Roman building. The word is adopted from the Greek τρικλίνιον, triklinion, from τρι-, tri-, "three", and κλίνη, klinē, a sort of "couch" or rather chaise longue...

, three couches for reclining arranged as three sides of a square, with a small table for food in the middle of all these.

Only the very wealthy would consume exotic dishes such as giraffe, ostrich, lion, and peacock.