With modern medicine, we often grow overly confident, assuming we can defeat any illness. Yet the resurgence of 10 deadly diseases proves that complacency is dangerous. Recent flare‑ups across the globe remind us that no one is immune.

10 Deadly Diseases on the Rise

1 Cholera

Cholera is a severe diarrheal illness. Before 2010, Haiti had gone a century without a cholera outbreak, but that peace shattered when the disease surged along the Meille River. Over 400 UN peacekeepers, fresh from a cholera‑stricken Nepal, were stationed nearby, and their waste contaminated the river.

The United Nations eventually apologized, but it was too late for the roughly 10,000 Haitians who died. Experts estimate that a simple $1‑per‑patient treatment could have cut the epidemic by 91 percent.

Cholera isn’t confined to distant, impoverished regions. South Korea reported its first homegrown case in 15 years. In the 19th century, cholera devastated the peninsula, claiming about 400,000 lives—nearly half the population. Officials there believe the recent incident may stay isolated, yet certainty remains elusive.

2 Dengue Fever

Dengue fever is ravaging tropical zones, transmitted by mosquitoes and causing fever, joint pain, and occasionally death. In late 2016, a 13‑year‑old girl in Karachi became the fourth fatality in Pakistan’s recent outbreak.

In 2015, Pakistan alone recorded 40 dengue deaths, while worldwide the disease claims roughly 20,000 lives each year. The United States isn’t immune either; Hawaii experienced its largest post‑statehood outbreak in 2015, with 261 confirmed cases.

The newly launched vaccine Dengvaxia, after two decades of development, carries a paradox: because dengue exploits a phenomenon called antibody‑dependent enhancement, the vaccine can sometimes worsen the disease if given to someone who has never been infected. It works best for those who have already survived dengue.

Thus, careful administration is crucial; otherwise, the vaccine could lead to more hospital visits rather than fewer.

3 Leprosy

Officially called Hansen’s disease, leprosy can cause disfigurement, blindness, and even death. Though often thought of as an ancient scourge, it still afflicts the United States, averaging about 150 cases per year.

Many assumed these infections arrived from distant, endemic regions, but recent research uncovered a surprising domestic source: armadillos. Studies revealed that the bacterial strain infecting humans in the southern states matches the one found in local armadillos.

Investigators examined 25 human patients and 28 armadillos, discovering a genetic overlap. Fortunately, when caught early, leprosy responds to antibiotic therapy.

4 Bubonic Plague

The bubonic plague, infamous for the Black Death that wiped out 60 percent of medieval Europe, still haunts humanity. Symptoms include fever, abdominal pain, swollen lymph nodes, and nausea.

A recent fatal case forced Chinese officials to quarantine the entire city of Yumen. In the previous year, Madagascar suffered an outbreak that claimed 39 lives. In the United States, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico serve as hot spots, with an average of seven cases annually, though 2015 saw more than double that number.

The culprit, Yersinia pestis, remains treatable with antibiotics, reducing mortality to roughly 16 percent when therapy starts promptly. Untreated, the fatality rate can soar to 93 percent. Alarmingly, antibiotic‑resistant strains have been identified, raising concerns among epidemiologists.

5 Polio

The World Health Organization has declared the Americas, Europe, the western Pacific, and Southeast Asia polio‑free, creating a false sense that the disease belongs only in history books. In reality, it persists.

Just as the WHO prepared to label Africa polio‑free, two cases erupted in Nigeria’s Borno State, a region dominated by Boko Haram. Health workers can only vaccinate residents when militants temporarily abandon an area. Similar “wild” polio outbreaks have surfaced in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Ukraine also experienced a recent surge, but this time the virus originated from the weakened strain used in oral vaccines. With only about half of Ukraine’s population immunized, the situation could become dire.

6 Typhoid Fever

Typhoid fever, a deadly bacterial infection related to food‑borne salmonella, claims 600,000 lives annually out of 16–30 million cases worldwide. The disease thrives in densely populated regions with poor sanitation.

Transmission usually occurs through contaminated water or food, leading to high fever, abdominal pain, headaches, and nausea. Children are especially vulnerable, and infant mortality remains high. Improved sanitation, safe drinking water, and better hygiene can curb the spread.

Even in the United States, the disease is resurging. Oklahoma reported an outbreak north of its capital, traced to a single family that likely contracted the illness abroad. Florida has also seen a rapid increase in cases.

7 Diphtheria

In 2015, Spain recorded its first diphtheria case in 28 years—a young boy from Catalonia whose parents chose to forgo vaccination despite the country’s free, widely available program.

The disease has a grim history on the Iberian Peninsula, with devastating outbreaks in the 16th and 17th centuries, one famously dubbed the “year of strangulations.”

Diphtheria, caused by Cornynebacterium diphtheriae, primarily targets young children and adults over 60, killing roughly one in ten infected individuals.

The bacterium produces a toxin that creates a dead membrane coating the throat, making breathing and swallowing painful. If the toxin enters the bloodstream, it can damage internal organs.

8 Measles

In 2000, the United States declared measles eliminated, but a massive 2014 outbreak ignited at California’s Disneyland, eventually infecting 84 people across 14 states.

By late 2016, Arizona alone reported 22 confirmed cases, doubling the nation’s typical annual tally. Measles can cause encephalitis, blindness, and death.

The resurgence stems from two forces: importation of cases from abroad and the anti‑vaccine movement. Each year, 22 million people worldwide contract measles. Epidemiologists traced the latest U.S. flare‑up to the Eloy Detention Center in Arizona, suspecting the index patient arrived from outside the country.

From the 1960s onward, a robust vaccination campaign kept measles at bay, but growing vaccine refusal now threatens that progress. When unvaccinated individuals encounter the virus, the consequences can be severe.

9 Syphilis

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas—unless it’s a sexually transmitted infection. A recent spike in syphilis cases in Sin City has exposed a fresh vulnerability to this age‑old bacterial disease.

During its early stage, syphilis is easily cured with penicillin. Left untreated, however, later stages can unleash a terrifying array of symptoms: loss of muscle control, dementia, rashes, blindness, and even death.

Researchers attribute the surge to shifting sexual habits. Smartphone hookup apps make anonymous encounters more common, and the success of HIV treatments has led some to forgo condoms.

Most reported infections involve gay men. Currently, Las Vegas holds the highest syphilis rate in the western United States, surpassed only by Washington, DC, on a national scale.

10 Leptospirosis

In 2009, the Philippines suffered a double blow: tropical storm Ketsana flooded the nation, followed by an outbreak of “rat fever,” or leptospirosis. This bacterial illness spreads through contact with animal urine, and the post‑storm floodwaters created a perfect breeding ground.

The outbreak claimed 157 lives, producing symptoms such as severe headaches, fever, kidney failure, and massive lung bleeding. Mortality rates typically hover between five and ten percent, but a 2015 surge in Mumbai saw a staggering 33 percent death rate.

Leptospirosis isn’t limited to tropical floods. In the United States, canine cases emerged in 2015 across California and Colorado, while sea lions on Oregon’s coast were devastated in 2009. Raccoons serve as major carriers, and up to 90 percent of urban rats harbor the bacteria.

How long before this pathogen jumps from animals to a broader human population in the United States?

Further Reading

These diseases aren’t the only things making a comeback! So are these lists from the archives:

10 Dreadful Symptoms Of Deadly Diseases
Top 10 Gruesome Disfiguring Diseases
Top 10 Odd Diseases With No Known Cause
10 Horrifying Diseases You Definitely Don’t Want To Catch

Abraham Rinquist is the Executive Director of the Winooski, Vermont, branch of the Helen Hartness Flanders Folklore Society. He is the coauthor of Codex Exotica and Song‑Catcher: The Adventures of Blackwater Jukebox.

Trends behave a lot like the seasons – they arrive, they linger, and sometimes they burst back onto the scene with renewed vigor. In 2020 we’re witnessing a wave of retro‑style revivals that prove the old can feel fresh again. From analog music gear to classic hairstyles, the past is proving surprisingly popular among today’s consumers.

Why These Top 10 Things Matter in 2020

10 Record Players And Vinyls

For decades, spinning a vinyl disc was the premier way to experience music. Those who grew up with turntables often reminisce about the thrill of browsing record‑store aisles, hunting for fresh releases, and adding them to ever‑growing collections.

When digital formats arrived, tapes and CDs quickly displaced records, and by the early 2000s streaming services had rendered physical media almost obsolete. The convenience of downloading or streaming became the dominant listening habit.

Fast forward to 2020, and sales figures show a noticeable resurgence in both turntable units and vinyl records, especially among younger listeners. Collectors now value the tactile experience of owning a tangible album, even if the record is four or five decades old.

Today, many artists release limited‑edition vinyl alongside their digital drops, turning the format into a premium offering rather than a relic. Some fans even regret discarding their old crates, opting instead to rebuild their collections from scratch.

9 Classic Video Games

Over the past ten years, a handful of classic video titles have been resurrected, though not every effort has turned into a blockbuster. The most ambitious revival slated for 2020 is Square Enix’s full‑scale remake of the beloved Final Fantasy VII, scheduled for an April launch.

This remake follows a recent pattern where legacy franchises such as Crash Bandicoot and Spyro have received polished remasters. Should the Final Fantasy VII reboot achieve commercial success, it could spark a wave of similar projects for other iconic games.

Additionally, many older titles fell out of favor when analog connections like SCART gave way to HDMI. While emulators kept some games alive, developers are now porting these classics to iOS and Android, ensuring new generations can enjoy them without the need for legacy hardware.

8 Mullets

The mullet—a hairstyle synonymous with the 1980s—has resurfaced in the fashion world. Rugby star Jack Goodhue of the All Blacks has become a modern ambassador for the “business in front, party in back” look, proving the cut’s enduring appeal.

Shows like Stranger Things have helped re‑ignite interest, while London salons report a steady stream of customers requesting the style. The Guardian notes that barbers are now trimming at least one or two mullets per week, a clear sign of growing demand.

Its resurgence is tied to a broader cultural shift toward gender‑neutral aesthetics. The mullet’s ability to straddle professional and rebellious vibes makes it a perfect fit for today’s more inclusive attitudes toward personal grooming.

7 Unions

In the 1950s and 1960s, labor unions boasted massive memberships in the United States and United Kingdom—roughly 35 percent of American workers were unionized at the height of the movement.

Today that figure has slipped to about 10‑11 percent, and many millennials admit they lack a clear understanding of what a union does. The service‑oriented economy has made organizing more difficult than during the manufacturing boom of previous decades.

Nevertheless, recent years have seen a revitalization of union activity. According to AFL‑CIO President Richard Trumka, the movement is “stronger than it has been in decades,” and Gallup data from 2015 shows 58 percent of Americans hold a favorable view of unions.

If this sentiment translates into new memberships, we could be witnessing a genuine renaissance of collective bargaining and workplace solidarity.

6 Stephen King

Master of horror Stephen King reached his zenith in the 1970s and 1980s with classics like Carrie, The Shining, and It. Those novels spawned blockbuster films, cementing King’s reputation as a cultural juggernaut.

Following that peak, the late 1990s and early 2000s saw King focusing on the sprawling Dark Tower series, and his mainstream visibility waned. Adaptations of his work slowed, leaving a generation of millennials relatively unfamiliar with his oeuvre.

The explosion of streaming platforms such as Netflix and Hulu has reignited interest. Recent years have delivered high‑budget adaptations like It (and its sequel), The Dark Tower, Pet Sematary, In the Tall Grass, and the hit series Castle Rock. Additional shows—11.22.63 on Hulu and The Outsider on HBO—have further amplified his presence.

This torrent of new content has given King a second wind, ensuring that even those who missed his 80s fame are now introduced to his storytelling through modern media.

5 Houseplants

During the 1950s and 1960s, indoor greenery was a staple of home décor, adding life to living rooms and bedrooms. By the 1990s, however, the trend faded as technology and flashier interior options took precedence.

In recent years, plants such as spider plants and snake plants have surged back into popularity. The Royal Horticultural Society reports a 60 percent jump in houseplant sales during the latter half of 2019, a spike largely driven by Instagram’s visual culture and the desire to showcase lush interiors.

The rise aligns with heightened awareness of vegan lifestyles and climate concerns, prompting people to favor living décor over static ornaments. Millennials, in particular, enjoy caring for something tangible in an increasingly virtual world.

4 Shag Carpets

The 1970s celebrated shag—thick, fluffy rugs that dominated living‑room aesthetics and even appeared on walls in some avant‑garde designs. Iconic films like Austin Powers and the TV series Mad Men captured the era’s love for tactile, bold textures.

By the 1990s, the shag craze gave way to beige rugs and laminate flooring, signaling a shift toward minimalism. Today, however, designers are re‑introducing shag in contemporary palettes, offering a cozy, statement‑making alternative for modern homes.

While the exact patterns of the ’70s are evolving, the renewed interest in plush, tactile flooring suggests a broader desire for vibrant, Instagram‑ready interiors that break away from the sterile aesthetics of the past.

3 Social Boundaries

Before the age of pervasive social platforms, people lived with clearer personal boundaries. Strangers rarely knew where you’d been, what you’d eaten, or even your profession, and there was no instant way to slide into someone’s direct messages.

The digital era shattered those walls, making every facet of daily life publicly visible. Yet 2020 marks a noticeable backlash: users are actively deleting accounts, muting or blocking contacts, and even high‑profile athletes and celebrities are stepping away from platforms citing mental‑health pressures.

This shift reflects a growing appetite for minimalist, privacy‑first lifestyles that echo pre‑digital norms. Concepts like “Joy of Missing Out” (JOMO) are gaining traction, offering a counter‑balance to the relentless “Fear of Missing Out” (FOMO) that has dominated social media culture.

2 Tea Strainers

Before the invention of the convenient tea bag, tea enthusiasts relied on infusers and strainers to brew loose‑leaf blends, believing the method produced richer, more nuanced flavors.

In the early 20th century United States, silk‑lined bags began to be used for packaging loose tea, and consumers soon started dipping the bags directly into hot water. This convenience pushed traditional strainers onto the sidelines, and the tea bag became the dominant brewing tool.

Recently, a renaissance of loose‑leaf brewing has emerged as younger consumers gravitate toward less‑processed, artisanal experiences. This trend dovetails with a broader move toward supporting local, high‑quality products, prompting a renewed interest in elegant tea strainers.

1 World Division And Mistrust

Not every comeback on this list is uplifting. In 2020, geopolitical tensions have resurfaced, echoing Cold‑War‑era suspicion and division. Political polarization in the United States, Brazil, and elsewhere has amplified narratives of mistrust.

Social media platforms have become fertile ground for spreading racial intolerance and disinformation, contributing to a sense that the world is moving backward. Climate change debates are often downplayed or dismissed, further deepening societal fractures.

State actors such as Russia continue covert operations aimed at destabilizing international politics, feeding into a climate of paranoia. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has warned that the Doomsday Clock now sits at a record‑low 100 seconds to midnight, underscoring the perilous state of global affairs.

While this grim outlook contrasts sharply with the lighter revivals above, it serves as a reminder that not all trends point toward progress, and collective vigilance remains essential.

Researchers forecast that the international market for video games will grow at nearly 13% a year until, by 2030, it will be worth around $580 billion. With such an incredible amount of money at stake, game developers are constantly trying to find a game that will capture the public’s imagination and be the next big thing.

Ever-developing technology means that games are more and more sophisticated. Companies are spending huge sums in the hunt for success. Games appear and quickly disappear without leaving much of a mark. Yet, despite technological progress, some older games persist and become popular again.

We have recently seen board games (Monopoly is an example) surge in popularity. And some of the reasons why this is true of board games also apply to old video games. Nostalgia is one reason. People remember playing something years ago and want to take another look at it. Often, they are interested in something other than the latest version of an old favorite—they want to play the same game they played way back when. Familiarity is comforting.

Another motive connected to nostalgia is that players know what to expect. They remember the game and know how to play it. They don’t have to study a manual or watch videos on YouTube to learn how to play. A third reason is that these games are often simple and straightforward. The task is clear, and a player doesn’t get bogged down in complexity.

Our list contains games of various types, from challenges to role-plays. Some have never entirely disappeared, and some have made comebacks that seem surprising. Here are ten classic video games making a comeback.

Related: 10 Bizarre Video Games That Actually Exist

10 Pac Man

First released in 1980, Pac-Man became the iconic game of that decade. Because video games were a novelty, almost any game would find players. But Pac-Man’s simple but attractive graphics, loveable characters, and simple game plan turned players into addicts.

It might have been easy to play, but it was tough to master. A player could always try to get a higher score next time. And players spent an endless amount of quarters trying to outscore themselves and their friends. You could never win at Pac-Man because there was no end-point.

So far, Pac-Man has raked in over $14 billion and sold around 48 million copies. In 2005, Guinness World Records named it the most successful coin-operated game of all time.

Its popularity waned as more sophisticated games appeared, but constant tweaks and its wide availability drew in new generations of fans.

9 World of Warcraft

World of Warcraft came onto the market in 2004 and was an immediate hit. Critics and players loved it, and it quickly became the most successful multiplayer online role-playing game ever, with an astonishing 12 million subscribers in 2010.

The developer, Blizzard Entertainment, released World of Warcraft to build on the Warcraft franchise that had started with the release of Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994. This real-time strategy game reached a wide public, but the public turned away from these types of games in the early 2000s. World of Warcraft was the answer that reached a new audience and ensured that the world of Azeroth continued to draw people in.

Expansion packs keep the game fresh and ensure that having made one comeback, it won’t need another.

8 Doom

Doom is a phenomenon. Originally released in 1993, it’s had its ups and downs but remains popular. When Windows released the Windows 95 operating system, more computers had Doom loaded on them than Windows 95. Over the years, the creators have released new versions of the Doom franchise. But the original keeps coming back.

Other first-person shooter games came onto the market, but Doom was always the one they had to beat.

People still find the original Doom entertaining because it’s easy to navigate and not over-complicated.

7 Dragon Quest

It’s said that when a new edition of Dragon Quest appeared on the market in Japan, people would call in sick to get their hands on a copy before their friends. True or not, the tale shows how popular Dragon Quest was in its native country.

Dragon Quest first came out in 1986 and was very popular in Japan. This popularity didn’t spread to the United States, where sales were sluggish despite good reviews. In the States, the game was called Dragon Warrior until the release of Dragon Quest VIII in 2005. Then, Americans started looking at previous releases.

The developers claim that its popularity relies on the fact that anyone can play it at the level that suits them best. You don’t need to plow through a manual before you start playing; it’s intuitive and fun.

6 Myst

A game that gives a player little information, no clear reason to play, and no obvious enemies is destined for the scrap heap. But Myst was a surprise hit, and critics call it one of the best video games ever made.

Players must work out what they should do and explore Myst’s interactive world. There are puzzles that the player has to solve, but there is no shooting. Myst is a mind game that players love.

People loved its impressive graphics and the challenge, but other games came along and overshadowed Myst. But it keeps coming back. The original version is still a challenge and still fresh. Some people turn back to Myst for nostalgic reasons, and new generations of players have a look at it to see what all the fuss was about. But once in, they are hooked.

5 Chrono Trigger

Some reviewers have described Chrono Trigger as a masterpiece. Square, the developer, released the original in 1995 and clearly had invested a lot of time and love in creating what was an immediate success. This role-playing game has a team of adventurers traveling through time to prevent a catastrophe. Gamers loved it.

Despite its age, the graphics still look great today. The well-developed characters and the soundtrack keep the game fresh, and it still compares well with more modern games.

Chrono Trigger has remained popular through the years, but there are regular surges of new gamers discovering it for the first time.

4 EarthBound

Perhaps American gamers didn’t like being parodied in EarthBound. This Japanese role-playing game was set in Eagleland, a fictional parody of the United States. This 1994 game was a success in Japan—where it was known as Mother 2—but made little impact on American gamers. The developers changed the name in the United States because Mother 2 was the sequel to a game that never appeared on the American market.

The game was intentionally flaky and marketed in the U.S. under the slogan “This Game Stinks.” Americans took the creators at their word and didn’t buy it.

Or most Americans didn’t. It developed a small cult following and made its comeback largely through word of mouth. Critics, most of whom had originally panned the game, came to see it as interesting and different. Its popularity increased, and people are still playing it today.

3 Quake

Sinister and dark, Quake is a first-person shooter game developed by id Software. In the single-player mode, the gamer tries to stop an alien known as Quake. Quake has taken over a human-designed teleporter and is using the device to send kamikaze squads into our world to test our ability to fight back.

When it was originally released in 1996, critics praised Quake, which was immediately popular with gamers. Quake was the successor to Doom and did well for many years as new versions came out.

The original game looks dated, but people have been giving it another look even though it is unsophisticated by modern standards. Perhaps people turn back to it precisely because it’s dated and fairly simple. It’s video gaming’s answer to comfort food.

2 Sonic the Hedgehog

Sonic the Hedgehog has scuttled from video consoles to appear in books, comics, and films. Add merchandise to these media, and you have a cultural icon. First released in 1991 by Sega, Sonic and his battles with the evil Doctor Eggman were, for many, their introduction to online gaming.

When it came out, Sonic was the obvious competitor to Mario and became just as popular. Later versions of Sonic have yet to be as well-received as the original. But Sonic has remained a favorite since the beginning.

A recent boost in popularity is perhaps because the first Sonic fans now have children of their own and are introducing them to Sonic’s world.

1 Tetris

The Tetris website modestly claims:

“Tetris is the addictive puzzle that started it all, embracing our universal desire to create order out of chaos.”

Originally designed by Soviet software engineer Alexey Pajitnov, Tetris has been frustrating players since 1984. Like Pac-Man, Tetris is a game you can’t win; it will always beat you. The best that a player can do is to better their previous score.

Tetris never went away, but it faded into the background. It was a game that everyone knew, but few played. This has changed. Its availability on virtually all platforms means you can play it anywhere, anytime, when you have a few moments to fill.

It’s simple and addictive. And this is the reason why it’s coming back.

A surprising number of foods enjoyed by our ancient forebears remain a commonly consumed part of diets around the world in modern times. Among them of course is bread, in different forms and styles depending on the cultures of the consumers. Another is beer, considered a food to the ancients. The builders of the Great Pyramids of Giza provided the workers with over four liters of beer each day, which served as both refreshment and nutrition. Likely it inspired a low absentee rate as well.

Other foods consumed in ancient times have fallen by the wayside over the centuries, for various reasons. One is extinction. For example, there is ample evidence that prehistoric man hunted mastodons, likely for food, as well as for the acquisition of a fur coat. Alas, roast mastodon is no longer possible. But other foods enjoyed by the ancients remain available and should be considered for a return to modern menus and dinner tables. Here are 10 such foods, offered for consideration for discriminating palates.

10. Peacocks and Peahens

The ancient Romans enjoyed a showy display during their feasts and celebrations, with the presentation of food an important part of the repast. Modern day chefs and cooks are taught the importance of presentation as well. For the Romans, a roasted peacock arrived at banquet tables adorned with its tailfeathers and wings displayed. The practice continued well into medieval times, usually at the tables of the well-to-do. How and when it died out is hard to say. In some areas, it hasn’t died out at all; at least, the consumption of peafowl remains a practice.

Peafowl are members of the family which includes pheasant, turkey, and quail, the consumption of which remains common. A quick internet search reveals numerous recipes for peafowl, including roasting a whole bird, cooking individual parts of the bird, or making peafowl sausage. In China they are bred commercially for consumption. Certainly, a whole roasted peacock, prepared and presented in the ancient manner would appear a more sumptuous meal than a mere turkey or chicken. Or… maybe not.

9. Posca

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1nR08R9sZw

The ancient Romans, both the peasant farmers and soldiers in the legions, enjoyed a potable known as posca. Posca consisted of cheap, low-quality wine or wine vinegar, flavored with herbs and spices, to which water was added. The acid of the vinegar acted to kill most of the germs in the water, should it be contaminated, and the result was a healthful drink. It helped hydrate and refresh its consumers, and was especially popular in the Roman army, which carried it on the march in large barrels, premixed.

The Romans believed posca fortified them, as it were, on the march and in camp. Their commanders, in part to help foster the belief, consumed posca, though in general upper class Romans detested the drink.  Consuming good wine was considered detrimental to discipline and a violation of duty while on a military campaign, and many Roman commanders took posca instead, including Julius Caesar and Hadrian. They believed that if posca was good enough for the commander, the men in the ranks should expect nothing better.

8. Carob

Carob is known today as the basis for ersatz chocolate. Native to the Mediterranean region, it was well known to the Greeks and Romans in ancient times. Carob is a flowering plant, a member of the legume family which includes both peas and beans. Nowadays it is commonly found dried and ground into powder, or in prepared foods such as carob chips or bars. Some people enjoy carob as a beverage, dubiously claiming it to be as tasty as real cocoa.

The Romans, and the Greeks before them, considered carob a fruit, and devoured it as such. The edible seeds, as with peas and beans, grow in a pod. Romans encountering carob shrubs with ripe pods simply ate the seeds directly from the branch, without further preparation. Carob is seldom found commercially today in anything but dried form, but if it was good enough for the Romans fresh from the tree, it should be good enough for us.

7. Garum

Garum was the Roman name for a sauce used as a condiment across the ancient Mediterranean. It was enjoyed by the Phoenicians, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Carthaginians, and in the Arab world. Surely such a popular condiment would be welcome today. It likely would be, if one was unaware of what it was made from, and the process of its preparation. It is said it offered a savory taste, used in which to dip bread, and flavor meat and vegetables.

To make it, cooks first created a brine. They then added fish intestines, which marinated in the brine until well pickled, at least 48 hours. The mixture was then mashed, no doubt offering an appetizing scent and sight, after which it was allowed to ferment for several weeks. Sometimes it was dried into a thick paste, called muria, and used similarly to salt. The best garum used in the homes of the wealthy was expensive, as would be expected of pickled fish guts. Garum was commercially manufactured and exported by the Romans, and a kosher version was discovered in the ruins of Pompeii, indicating it was part of Jewish cuisine as well.

6. Chian Wine

Chian wine was a product of the Greek island of Chios, and considered by the ancient Greeks, and later the Romans, as the finest of all wines. They called it black wine, though it was likely a deep red color. Plutarch described it as expensive, but worth it. By the fourth century BCE, Chios exported a great deal of the stuff to Athens. The Greek geographer and historian Strabo considered it the finest wine in Greece at the time. Chian wine was not aged in oak barrels, but earthenware jars called amphorae, which may have accounted for its special taste.

The ancient Romans regarded beer with disdain, since it was the preferred beverage of the Celts, Britons, and other barbarians. They preferred wines, and the black wines of Chios were held in high esteem by the elite of Roman society as the finest available. Until the 1st century CE Chian wines were expensive and rare in Rome, and used mainly as a medicine for those who could afford it. It later became more affordable, at least for the wealthy. The famed physician Galen considered its medicinal properties were extensive, and prescribed it for a wide variety of maladies, including somewhat understandably, melancholia.

5. Lard

In the ancient Mediterranean the staple fats were oils, primarily from the olive, but also from sesame and other sources. In Ancient China, as far back as 4000 BCE, pork and domestic chickens were consumed. The fatty portions of domestic hogs were rendered into lard, used as both a cooking fat and a lubricant by the Chinese. Its use traveled westward many centuries later, though its use never achieved much popularity in the Mediterranean diet, for both religious and cultural reasons.

Those beer drinking barbarians liked it though, and for many more centuries it was the preferred cooking fat in western cooking. Eventually, after its cholesterol raising qualities were better understood, it fell into disuse. Those who support English style cooking, and those of the American south still consider lard to be the best fat used for baking biscuits and piecrusts, and for many other culinary applications. As one famous American chef is wont to say, pork fat rules.

4. Melas Zomos (Black Soup)

A dish favored by the Spartans, who believed it gave them strength and endurance, was called melas zomos. It served as a staple for the troops of the Spartan armies and was, unsurprisingly, evidently created by army cooks. No actual recipe for the soup survives in writing, though it is described in legends and Spartan mythology. Its primary ingredient was pork.

To prepare it, cooks drained the blood of a freshly slaughtered pig into a cooking vessel. The legs of the pig were added (symbolizing the arms and legs of the soldiers who would eat it) and vinegar was then added to prevent the blood from clotting and extend the soup. This delightful concoction was then boiled until the cook deemed it ready for serving. Legend has it that a man from Sybaris, in Northern Italy, once tasted the soup and declared it the reason Spartans didn’t fear death. “Dead men require no longer to eat” he reportedly said. Sybaris, by the way, was a city notorious for excess luxury gluttony, and gave us the word “sybarite.”

3. Silphium

The ancient Egyptians, Minoans, Greeks, and Romans all used an herb known as silphium. The Romans used it extensively, sprinkling it on foods as a seasoning. Some believe it to have been a type of celery, others claim it was similar to fennel. It grew in the wild in the coastal areas of modern-day Libya. Speculation that it was used as graze for animals, which led to its extinction before the onset of the common era, is described in some of the writings of the ancients. There was also speculation among ancient writers that the plant resisted cultivation, and over-harvesting of the wild plant led to its extinction. To put it bluntly, though it is referred to widely in ancient writings and even appears on ancient coinage, nobody is certain what it actually was.

The Greeks and the Romans believed that in addition to its wildly popular flavor, it acted as both an aphrodisiac and a contraceptive. That combination of properties alone would certainly contribute to its popularity. The traditional heart shape as seen in Valentines is believed to be representative of the seeds of silphium. Hippocrates lauded its medicinal qualities; it was used to treat ailments of the throat, indigestion, and even warts. What the ancients called silphium is believed to be extinct, though its exact identity is unknown. That’s too bad, since a plant which could flavor foods, produce perfumes, act as a contraceptive, remove warts and serve as an aphrodisiac would certainly be of value today.

2. Pigeons

For many who live in urban areas the pigeon is ubiquitous. City dwellers often consider them little more than feathered rats. Numerous American cities have adopted falcons as a means of controlling the growth of pigeon flocks, though the pigeon population expands constantly. The ancients dealt with pigeons too, though through different means. They ate them. They ate a lot of them. Pigeons were considered a cheap and freely available source of meat, and the ancients ate them across the world, in both classic antiquity and in less developed societies, such as in North America.

They continued to be popular as food well into the 19th century in Europe and America with one particular species, the passenger pigeon, eaten into extinction in 1901. There has been discussion of using DNA from existing specimens of passenger pigeons to clone the species, though not as a potential food source. Considering the large numbers of pigeons extant in American cities and towns such an effort seems unnecessary. Pigeons are alleged to have a flavor similar to chicken (what doesn’t?) and numerous recipes for their preparation from both ancient and more recent times exist.

1. Moretum

The Romans, at least the more well-to-do of them, enjoyed a dish which would be readily recognized today. They also enjoyed it in the same manner as its modern-day counterparts, as a snack or light meal. There is evidence it was offered by vendors in the arena at Pompeii and the Colosseum in Rome, a nosh to enjoy while viewing gladiatorial combat. Called moretum, it was essentially a cheese spread eaten with bread. It was made using a mortar and pestle, the former of which gave it its name.

Fresh cheese, most likely soft goat cheese, was mixed with herbs, oils, vinegars, wine, and nuts, or combinations thereof, and mashed into a paste. There were countless varieties of flavors for moretum, and it was eaten on several different styles of breads, including flatbreads resembling today’s pizza crusts. A garlic version was a predecessor of modern pesto. Dried and fresh fruits could also be added, creating a sweet moretum to be offered alongside its savory cousin. It was likely closest to modern cream cheese-based spreads in both consistency and taste, and was enjoyed throughout the empire by those who could afford it. It would certainly be so enjoyed today.