The character of the triclinium would be lost without the reclining couch, an essential aspect of the symbolic nature of dining in luxury.
Background:
The emergence of the reclining couch and the emergence of the tricilinium are inseparably tied. The reclining custom first appeared in Greece in the 7th century BC, almost certainly certainly adopted from the practices of the royals in the near East. The early Romans were unaware of the reclining tradition, so they sat to eat. It is unclear when exactly the Roman’s assumed this tradition, however, it is thought that in the middle of third century, under Rome’s rapid conquest and growing wealth in Roman society that their banqueting habits began to be transformed by Greek models. As in the Greece, the custom spread to lower classes, until it became the norm. By the late republic, the first century BC, the art of fine dining had been fully developed. |
Symbolic Significance:
Although the reclining banquet style had become the norm, reclining never lost the connotations of status and luxury, the mark of a privileged ordered society, or the implication of behavior that was required to be learned and practiced. The couch potentially gained its symbolic power as an emblem of privilege and luxury due to its history of being associated with the gods through visual culture. The reclining banqueter was an artistic symbol of power and privilege, with images of Gods engaging in the practice on reliefs and pottery. Livy dates the emergence of allegorical reclining banqueters to 399 BC, a century before it is thought to have been practices by the Romans, in the ceremony of lectisternium where images of the gods were placed reclining on couches, with offerings of food and drink on a table before them. This, to some extent, contributed to the ubiquitous understanding that to lie down and eat while others stood to serve you was a sign of power, privilege, and prestige. At public banquets offered by aspiring politicians to the populace, reclining couches were prepared for almost all in attendance. The opportunity to recline and be served was regarded as a valued part of the benefaction. |