Antiquities

The first description of beer in human history

Image by: www.forbes.com

Anabasis is an exhibition of the ancient Greek commander and historian Xenophon devoted to the events that occurred in the 5th century BC. p.m., when the 13,000th squad of Greek mercenaries took part in the interpersonal war started by the satrap (ruler) of Lydia, Phrygia, and Cappadocia, Cyrus the Great, the Persian King of Kings, to overthrow from the throne of his older brother, King of kings Artaxerxes II …

Trying to get into the Armenian harbor near Sinopa (VI, I, 15, 17), the Hellin squad passes through Armenia (III, V, 17; IV, I, 3; IV, III, 1, 3; IV, IV, 1, 4; IV, V, 34), where it encounters Armenian hospitality.

Describing their lives, Xenophon describes beer, for the first time in human history, calling it barley wine. Armenians drank beer through special straws made of cane straws.

Xenophon writes: “There (in the homes of Armenians) were also stored wheat, barley, vegetables and barley wine in craters.

In the level with the edges of the vessels, barley floated in the wine, and cane, of large and small sizes, were inserted into it, but without knees; whoever wanted to drink, had to take the cane into his mouth and pull the wine through it.

Wine not mixed with water was very strong, but for people who are used to it it was a very pleasant drink” (Anabasis. BOOK IV. Chapter V:26-27).

Armenians And Armenia

Vigen Avetisyan

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