From eating the oddest of delicacies to meeting your death due to something you ate, food has an eerie way of playing a role in a host of interesting facts. In this article, you will learn what took the life of Roman emperor Claudius, as well as a food item that people in Mongolia go crazy over.
In 54 AD, the Roman emperor Claudius actually choked on a feather that he kept by his side to tickle his gullet to induce vomiting whenever he participated in a banquet. The emperor was not the only person in history with a reputation for vomiting in between meals. The second wife of King Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, would vomit in between courses , a habit that started during her coronation banquet. She actually had a lady-in-waiting who would hold a sheet up and catch her vomit whenever she needed.
In Belize, people eat a dish called Cena Molida, which contains roasted, mashed cockroaches.
In 1580, Ivan the Terrible was a czar who had a sadistic way of keeping himself entertained. He would tip boiling hot water over the head of his court jester and if the poor jester screamed out in pain, Ivan ran a sword through his body.
According to the Old Testament, Noah (who is credited with building the infamous ark) is noted as being the first person ever to get drunk.
While in the United States, the guinea pig is revered as a cute and cuddly household pet, inhabitants in Ecuador use the creature for other means , served fried, boiled, or roasted.
Rats have a long history of being included on the menus of many international locales. In the Philippines, people are known to dine on sausages filled with rat meat. During long travels, ancient sailors of Spain and Portugal enjoyed regular meals involving rat meat.
The infamous philosopher, Socrates (469 to 399 BC), was known near and far for his capacity to hold his liquor, as he had the stamina to continue debating and thinking even after everyone had gone home or passed out from drinking.
Conquering lands was not the only thing Alexander the Great (356 to 323 BC) was known for. The Macedonian king not only took over lands that stretched from Greece to India, but also participated in marathon drinking sessions. One of his drinking contests actually ended in the death of 35 people. Sometimes, in a drunken stupor, he made unwise decisions, such as killing one of his best friends with a spear. Perhaps his drinking contributed to his death at the age of 32.
The Chinese emperor, Shih Hu (334 to 349 AD) would hold banquets in the Imperial court where he would select a concubine and have her beheaded. The torso was then cooked and served to his visitors. Hu also had a tradition of passing the uncooked head of his mistress around to guests so they would know he had sacrificed a beauty.
Mongolians feast on boodog , a dish comprised of goat broiled inside a bag made out of cut and tied goatskin. Usually, the goat is cooked over an open fire (a la BBQ style) or cooked with a blowtorch.