Feeding physically active soldiers requires thousands of calories a day more than the average civilian consumes. Here’s what some of history’s most notable warriors ate: The Spartans: Spartans weren’t exactly known for their luxurious lifestyles, but their warriors typically got a reasonable balance of barley, bread, and cheese. Melas zomos, or “black soup,” was one of the staple foods that kept the notoriously tough Spartan soldiers battle-ready. The broth gets its dark hue from pig’s blood, emulsified with vinegar, which would have packed extra iron into the diet. The Mongols:…
