They say...
in one of the Persian palaces, a bill of fare feeding as many as 15,000 from the Great King’s table daily, including all the royal guards, palace workers, and anyone within the court structure of a Royal City, was inscribed on a bronze column.
It was read to Alexander as such:
"Of fine wheat flour four hundred
artabae.
Of second flour three hundred artabae, and of third flour the same:
in the whole one thousand artabae of wheat flour.
Of the finest barley flour two hundred artabae, of the second four hundred, and four hundred of the third:
in all one thousand artabae of barley flour.
Of oatmeal two hundred artabae.
Of paste mixed for pastry of different kinds ten artabae.
Of cresses, chopped small and crushed, ten artabae.
Of mustard-seed the third of an artabae.
Male sheep four hundred.
Oxen a hundred.
Horses thirty.
Fat geese four hundred.
Three hundred turtles.
Small birds of different kinds six hundred.
Lambs three hundred.
Geese a hundred.
Thirty head of deer.
Of fresh milk ten marriš.
Of weetened whey ten marriš.
Of garlic a talent’s worth.
Of strong onions half a talent’s worth.
Of knot grass an artabae.
Of the juice of benzoin two minae.
Of cumin an artabae.
Of benzoin a talent's worth.
Of rich cider the fourth of an artabae.
Of millet seed three talents worth.
Of anise flowers three minae.
Of coriander seed the third of an artabae.
Of melon seed two kapetis.
Of parsnips ten artabae.
Of sweet wine five marriš.
Of salted gongylis five marriš.
Of pickled capers five marriš.
Of salt ten artabae.
Of Ethiopian cumin six kapetis.
Of dried anise thirty minae.
Of parsley seed four kapetis.
Oil of sesame ten marriš.
Cream five marriš.
Oil of cinnamon five marriš.
Oil of acanthus five marriš.
Oil of sweet almonds three marriš.
Of dried sweet almonds three artabae.
Of wine five hundred marriš."
