Marcus Valerius Martialis (40-102), born in Bilbilis (Spanish DO area of Calatayud), was a Roman poet. In his frivolous mocking poems (epigrams), which consist of 1,500 short poems in 15 books, he criticised the social conditions in Rome. Martial was careful, however, to use pseudonyms for the prominent people whose vices and misdemeanours he denounced. One example is: " Whoever thinks that Acerra smells of yesterday's wine is mistaken, for Accera always drinks until the day dawns"..

He took particular aim at show-offs and braggarts and often mentions wine in this context. The nouveau riche naturally drink the famous Opimian, a special vintage of Falernian. Martial mocks the cult of old wine and invents one without a consulship year and therefore already stored in the cellar before the Republic was founded.
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