Horemheb at the table

At the court of the New Kingdom, the pharaoh's meal is not divided into starter-main-dessert but unfolds as an abundance presented all at once on mats and low tables: first breads and flatbreads (the foundation of every Egyptian meal), then roasted meats and poultry, Nile fish, vegetables and legumes, all accompanied by thick beer or Delta wine, and closed by sweet fruits and honey. The displayed quantity and diversity are themselves a sign of power and restored order—the *maat* that Horemheb claimed to restore.

Two absolute markers of ancient Egyptian cuisine: honey, the only noble sweetener (sugar does not exist), which glazes meats and binds pastries; and coriander—seeds and leaves—found even in royal tombs, omnipresent for flavoring breads, stews, and poultry.