Ancient East Asian Found in Roman Empire

[Ban Hammer 13,398]

the real reason why he was there:

he got lost and like most guys, refused to ask for directions.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I'm a distant cousin to all of you! Asian pride baby!

I believe it. On one of those food shows the other night, they were talking about the origins of sauerkraut...it came from China, where the Chinese had been pickling cabbages for thousands of years. Pretty amazing stuff. I love both sauerkraut and kimchi.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

I guess this proves conclusively that they had Chinese food in Ancient Rome.

Pasta is from China.

[scandal 951]

Im related to AJ, who is related to BY, who is related to Almaty, who is related to Scandal, who is related to Sixy , who is related to Marc, who is related to himself. 0i!

Harumph. Harumph. Oi! indeed!

[Calypso 464]

Did the Silk Road have something to do with this? I am not sure if the timelines connect to say that the Silk Route was somehow responsible for that Chinese guy's presence in the Roman Empire but Rome and China had trade relationships several centuries ago especially when silk from China was so in demand across the nations.

That's one thing I can remember from my lessons as a high school student a decade ago.

[Niels Bohr 72]

This proves even more so that the Chinese are the best cooks on Earth!

Edited February 5, 2010 by Niels Bohr

[Nagishkaw 510]

Not when family pets are on the menu. :angry:

[justashooter 430]

I'm a distant cousin to all of you! Asian pride baby!

every family has to have a few black sheep.

[Niels Bohr 72]

And, every family also has a moron.

every family has to have a few black sheep.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Some people of Italian ancestry, like me, might have a surprise in the family tree—a man of east Asian descent, who was living and working 2,000 years ago in the boondocks near the heel of the Italian boot. The discovery is the first good evidence of an Asian living in Italy during Roman times.

Researchers found his body on an imperial Roman estate and took dental samples. Why examine teeth? Well, the water you drink at birth leaves a distinct signature in your teeth. That water signature is in the form of oxygen isotopes, atoms of oxygen with different numbers of neutrons. Isotopes say something about the latitude and elevation of your birthplace—which in the case of our mystery man definitely wasn't southern Italy.

Then the researchers tested his mitochondrial DNA, which is passed down through your maternal lineage. And this fellow had east Asian genes. The finding appears in the Journal of Roman Archaeology.

It's impossible to say if the man trekked to Italy himself or one of his ancestors did. But it's clear that this first known Roman Asian wasn't some aristocratic diplomat. He was just a poor worker, buried with a single pot.

—Christopher Intagliata

link

What about the possibility that the trek (by the man or his ancestor) was NON-VOLUNTARY? (Roman Empire did much trade, substantial portion of that in slaves...)

[Calypso 464]

Not when family pets are on the menu.

As you have said, there's no AHS in China or anything like that.

[Niels Bohr 72]

I had a dog once. Tastes like cow meat, or deer. My wife lied to me that it was deer meat. But, when I got home she said it's dog.

As you have said, there's no AHS in China or anything like that.

[Calypso 464]

I had a dog once. Tastes like cow meat, or deer. My wife lied to me that it was deer meat. But, when I got home she said it's dog.

Exotic cuisine? I don't even eat duck. My husband laughed at me when I wouldn't taste the alligator he ordered from an expensive restaurant when we visited Orlando. I said to him that the alligator might have eaten humans. So silly of me to have told him that.

Edited February 5, 2010 by Arbind.Ariadne

[Niels Bohr 72]

Roast ducks are my favorite!

I ate a shark too. Sharks eat humans too.

Exotic cuisine? I don't even eat duck. My husband laughed at me when I wouldn't taste the alligator he ordered from an expensive restaurant when we visited Orlando. I said to him that the alligator might have eaten humans. So silly of me to have told him that.

[Ban Hammer 13,398]

Roast ducks are my favorite!

I ate a shark too. Sharks eat humans too.

so, you're a cannibal!