The Greek writer Athenaeus (also Athenaios) was born in the Egyptian city of Naukratis and lived towards the end of the 2nd and beginning of the 3rd century AD. His 15-volume, only partially preserved work "Deiphnosophistai" (Guest Banquet of the Scholars) describes in comic form the guest banquet of 29 famous scholars and advocates in ancient Rome, including the famous physician Galen (129-216); the others are fictional characters. The host Publius Livius Larensis and his guests discuss ancient Greek customs, everyday life, political history, contemporary art (including Attic comedy) and science in the form of table discussions. In the process, one learns a lot about the eating and drinking habits of the ancient world. Athenaeus describes above all the Roman wines popular at the time and praises the falernum (in sweet and dry versions), which tastes best only after 15 to 20 years; the caecubum is judged by him to be no longer in demand. He also wrote a work on war machines.
For me, Lexicon from wein.plus is the most comprehensive and best source of information about wine currently available.
Egon Mark
Diplom-Sommelier, Weinakademiker und Weinberater, Volders (Österreich)