Balorix to the Senate, Greetings. 

I know that you take a great interest in the current well-being of my people, the Allobroges, so here is the state of things.  

In the years 113-101 BCE, the land of Allobroges was demolished during the early years of the Cimbrian War. Consul Gnaeus Papirius Carbo attempted to ambush the Cimbri during their withdrawal. When the Cimbri learned of his treacherous plan, they attacked, destroying Carbo’s Roman Army and leaving the land of my people open to invasion. The Cimbri did not attack Rome, they just attacked the precious land of my people. We paid for the mistakes of Carbo and then alongside you were absolutely destroyed by the Cimbri at the Battle of Arausio in 105 BCE. Later, Gaius Marius’s unprecedented five-year consulship, strong military tactics, and defeat over the Cimbri warriors led to his successful and powerful rule. Eventually, the Roman Republic consisted of internal rivalries, piracy, and conflict in the East. As a result of corrupt and oppressive conditions, my tribe did attempt a revolt against Roman rule. Our biggest regret and mistake to this date was this action. We wish we could go back in time so that we could have come to the esteemed Senate with our requests. This mistaken revolt resulted in tribune payments being imposed upon my people which have undoubtedly further led to our impoverishment. Time has passed since then and as we have remained fiercely loyal to Rome, we hope to strengthen our trust and relations. 

Although I am writing this letter to urge you to support and recognize my people, the Allobroges, I can’t help but offer a word of advice on your current situation. Upon learning about the unrest and the time of instability that you face, many of your auxiliary tribes are quick to consider revolting. My own people were in that position when the Senate passed the SCU in the year 100 BCE granting Gaius Marius total control to try and restore public order. When an SCU is granted, my people know that we will not be given the attention we deserve and that our rights will be forgotten and pushed aside. My people aren’t the only individuals that feel this way. Other tribes are in similar situations and feel as though the willingness to ignore their presence helps them justify a possible revolt. I assure you that the Allobroges are the most loyal Roman tribe and will support you in battle, and I would definitely not count on other tribes supporting you. For if they are currently unhappy with your rule, they are looking for the perfect moment to rise up against you.

Again, my people, admirers and supporters of the Roman Republic, wish to be recognized and relieved from some of our debt and be treated fairly in the future. In return, we offer the full support of the army of the Allobroges to you Romans.

Take care that you all are well. 

Balorix, Ambassador of the Allobroges

Over spring break, I took on the challenge of creating an authentic Roman dish with the help of fellow classmates Tiffany, Abby, and Annie. The British Museum wrote a blog post with nine ancient Roman and Greek recipes and the one that caught our eye was the dessert pancakes with honey and sesame seeds. The recipe calls for fairly simple ingredients and can be found here: https://blog.britishmuseum.org/cook-a-classical-feast-nine-recipes-from-ancient-greece-and-rome/ 

Ingredients

• 120g flour

• 225 ml water

• 2 tbsp clear honey

• Oil for frying

• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Process:

We heated oil in a small pan for frying and while it heated up we mixed the flour, water, and honey together in a bowl until there weren’t any clumps left. Once the oil was hot we dropped a large spoonful of batter into the oil and let it fry until golden brown on one side. We then flipped it until the other side was also a delicious golden brown color. Next, we placed the pancakes on paper towels to drain off any excess oil before drizzling them with honey and sesame seeds. We decided to take our own twist on the pancakes and also add some everything but the bagel seasoning to the pancakes to add a little seeds and flavor. 

Review:

The honey and toppings on the pancakes were a big hit and all 4 of our pancakes were eaten. The biggest downside was that the middle of the pancake was rather dense and chewy despite the outside layer of the pancake being crisp and golden brown. I think this is due to a lack of leavening agent or perhaps because the oil wasn’t quite hot enough. I wouldn’t make these Roman pancakes again but if they were placed in front of me I would eat them again.

The ingredients called for in this recipe are fairly simple and wholesome so it makes sense that they were staples in Roman desserts. I didn’t realize that sesame seeds were such an ancient staple but it was cool to learn about all the different things Romans used sesame seeds for. I can see how these pancakes were an easy yet yummy dessert to make. I can also easily picture Roman children with sticky honey covered fingers sitting around munching on the pancakes.