Legumes

Legumes were crucial to the Greek diet and were gathered in the Mediterranean region since prehistoric times, with lentils being the earliest and most widespread, having been discovered in archeological sites in Greece dating back to the Upper Paleolithic period. Lentils, as one of the first cultivated crops introduced to Greece, are frequently found at Upper Paleolithic archaeological sites.

Bitter vetch has been present in Greece from at least 8000 BCE and was occasionally eaten during the Classical period. The majority of ancient literature that discusses it portrays it as animal fodder with an unpleasant flavor. Several classical authors propose medical use for it. In the Iliad, Homer used the threshing of a black bean (not black turtle beans) as a metaphor. Fava or Broad? Beans are uncommon in archaeological sites but prevalent in classical literature. They were consumed as both main courses and desserts (mixed with figs). In addition to being described as food, classical authors assign numerous medicinal properties to beans.

Chickpeas are mentioned almost as frequently in classical literature as lentils (by Aristophanes and Theophrastus, among others), but are infrequently found in Greek archeological sites. Because they have been discovered in prehistoric sites in the Middle East and India, their use was most likely a late addition to the Ancient Greek diet. Grass peas, like bitter vetch, were planted in ancient Greece mostly for animal fodder, but they were occasionally eaten during times of famine.

Lupin (or Lupine, Lupini) beans have been farmed in Egypt from at least 2000 BCE and have been present in the Mediterranean region since prehistoric times. By the time of the Greeks, they were being used for both food and animal fodder. Peas can be found at some of Greece's earliest archaeological sites, but they are rarely referenced in classical literature. However, Hesiod and Theophrastus both mention them as Greek food.