Share We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more › Focaccia has been a staple of Italian meals since at least ancient Rome, but new research indicates the flatbread’s origins date as far back as the Neolithic Era. According to some archeologists, Mesopotamian communities may have even started baking large loaves of shared bread between 7,000 and 5,000 BCE—thousands of miles away from their modern Roman associations. Get the Popular Science newsletter Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday….