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History of 'Pizza' begins in antiquity, when various ancient cultures produced flatbreads with toppings : The word pizza was first documented in 997 AD, in Gaeta and successively in different parts of Central and Southern Italy. Precursor of pizza was probably focaccia, a flat bread known to Romans as panis focacius, to which toppings were then added. Modern pizza developed in Naples, when tomato was added to focaccia in late 18th Century AD. However, pizza was mainly eaten in Italy, but after WWII, when Allied troops stationed in Italy came to enjoy pizza along with other Italian foods. Foods similar to pizza have been made since neolithic age. Records of people adding other ingredients to bread to make it more flavorful can be found throughout ancient history. In Sardinia, archaeologists have found bread baked over 7000 years ago. According to Professor Philippe Marinval, local islanders leavened this bread. Ancient Greeks had a flat bread called plakous (plakountos) which was flavored with toppings like herbs, onion and garlic. In 6th Century BC, soldiers in Persian King Darius I armies baked flatbreads with cheese and dates on top of their battle shields. As early reference to pizza-like food occurs in Aeneid (19 BC), when Celaeno, queen of Harpies, foretells that Trojans would not find peace until they are forced by hunger to eat their tables (Book III). In Book VII, Aeneas and his men are served a meal that includes round cakes topped with cooked vegetables. When they eat bread, they realize that these are “tables” prophesied by Celaeno. Some suggested that origins of modern pizza can be traced to pizzarelle, which were kosher for Passover cookies eaten by Roman Jews after returning from synagogue on that holiday, though some also trace its origins to other Italian paschal breads. Abba Eban has suggested that modern pizza “was first made more than 2000 years ago when Roman soldiers added cheese and olive oil to matzah”. Other examples of flatbreads that survive to this day from ancient Mediterranean world are focaccia (5th Century BC); Mankoucheh in Lebanon, coca (sweet and savory varieties) from Catalonia; Valencia and Balearic Islands; Greek Pita; Lepinja in Balkans; or Piadina in Romagna part of Emilia-Romagna in Italy. Foods similar to flatbreads in other parts of world include Chinese bing (a wheat flour-based Chinese food with a flattened or disk-like shape); Indian paratha (in which fat is incorporated); Central and South Asian naan (leavened) and roti (unleavened); Sardinian carasau, spianata, guttiau, pistoccu; and Finnish rieska. Also worth noting is that throughout Europe there are many similar pies based on idea of covering flat pastry with cheese, meat, vegetables and seasoning such as Alsatian flammkuchen, German zwiebelkuchen and French quiche. In 16th Century Naples, a galette flatbread was referred to as pizza. Known as dish for poor people, it was sold in street and was not considered a kitchen recipe for a long time. This was later replaced by oil, tomatoes (after Europeans came into contact with Americas) or fish. In 1843, Alexandre Dumas, père, described diversity of pizza toppings. An often recounted story holds that on 11 June 1889, to honour Queen consort of Italy, Margherita of Savoy, Neapolitan pizzamaker Raffaele Esposito created “Pizza Margherita”, a pizza garnished with tomatoes, mozzarella and basil, to represent national colours of Italy as on Italian flag. Pizza is now a type of bread and tomato dish, often served with cheese. However, until late 19th or early 20th Century, dish was sweet, not savory and earlier versions which were savory more resembled flat breads now known as schiacciata. Pellegrino Artusi’s classic early 20th Century cookbook, La Scienza in cucina e l’Arte di mangiar bene gives three recipes for pizza, all of which are sweet. However, by 1927, Ada Boni’s collection of regional cooking includes a recipe using tomatoes and mozzarella. #archaeohistories