Black soup

The Spartan melas zomos, or black soup, was a staple soup made of boiled pigs' blood, pork, and vinegar. It is thought that the vinegar was used as a sort of preservative to keep the blood from clotting during the cooking process.

According to legend, a man from Sybaris, a city in southern Italy infamous for its luxury and gluttony, said he understood why the Spartans were so willing to die after having tasted their black soup.

No recipe for the Spartan black soup has survived, but blood soups are still eaten in various countries today.