The History of Olive Oil: Italy’s Liquid Gold
Olive oil is more than food in Italy — it is culture, history, and identity poured into a bottle. Long before it seasoned pasta or bruschetta, olive oil was already precious.
In ancient Egypt, it wasn’t used for cooking at all, but for mummification rituals, valued for its extraordinary ability to preserve and protect the body.
The Greek historian Thucydides wrote that humanity left its barbarian state when people began to produce olive oil and wine — a powerful idea linking this golden liquid to the birth of civilization itself.
Mythology strengthens this bond. When the goddess Athena created the olive tree, she offered wisdom, peace, and prosperity. This symbol traveled through time and can still be seen on Italy’s old 100 lire coin, a quiet tribute to ancient roots.
Olive oil during the Roman Empire
The Romans turned olive oil into an everyday necessity. Each citizen consumed about 25 liters per year, using it not only for food, but also for cosmetics, religious rituals, body cleansing, and lighting. They even classified olive oils by quality and origin. Huge quantities arrived from across the empire — especially Spain — transported in amphorae whose broken remains formed Rome’s curious Monte Testaccio, a hill made entirely of olive oil containers (approximately 53 millions amphorae).
During the Middle Ages, olive oil survived thanks to monks, who preserved production in monasteries for sacred uses like the last anointing. In the Renaissance, olive oil powered workshops and cities: in Florence and Venice it was essential for textiles, soaps, and lamps. Apulia alone produced enough olive oil to supply much of Europe.
With the Industrial Revolution, petrol replaced oil as fuel — but olive oil found its true destiny back on the table.
Today, Italy’s olive oils tell different regional stories:
Tuscan oils are bold and peppery, Apulian oils warm and generous, Sicilian oils intense and aromatic, and Ligurian oils delicate and elegant.
To taste them is to taste Italy itself — one golden drop at a time. 🫒