Ancient Pleasures, Modern Spice (1 - 600 AD)

Ancient pleasures, modern spice

In traditional models of Chinese history decadence and luxury are associated with periods of decline. The collapse of the Han dynasty into the chaotic Period of Disunion was partly blamed on emperors succumbing to the pleasures of court life. Similarly in Rome intellectuals worried that the taste for luxury goods from the east, like pepper, would bankrupt the empire. Attitudes to pleasure, luxury and leisure fluctuate throughout history. For example the relationships between boys and older men tolerated in the Roman Empire would be deemed illegal today. Many of our modern leisure activities have their origins in ancient religions. Tobacco smoking and some of the earliest team sports first occurred in the Americas, where they were used in religious rituals.