It’s fascinating to think what people already saw being transported across the Alps at the time of the Via Claudia Augusta: oil from Spain, Cretan wine, fresh oysters, spices from Asia ... and of course legions of Roman soldiers and traders from many different countries. People learnt new ways of cooking and those who could afford it also tried out delicacies from remote countries. Conversely, products such as Alpine cheese and Rhaetian wine were valued throughout the Roman Empire. Although of course largely local food was cooked, the cuisine of the people living along the Via Claudia Augusta was richer than that of more isolated regions.