Short answers, pulled from the story.
Puls was the aboriginal food of Ancient Rome and formed the foundation of early Roman cuisine. It appeared as a simple mixture of farro grains and water that sustained families near the Tiber River during the Republic era.
Archaeologists have found remnants of farro in ancient storage pits dating to the 5th century BCE, confirming that puls existed long before Rome became an empire. The grain grew wild along riverbanks before farmers began cultivating it systematically.
Priests used puls during archaic religious ceremonies dedicated to Roman gods to symbolize purity and connection to the earth. Pliny the Elder recorded that priests consumed this food before major festivals and offered bowls of plain puls at temple altars.
Chefs added vegetables, meat chunks, cheese, herbs, beans, or lentils to basic puls to create richer meals served to wealthy patrons. These elaborated dishes resembled polenta or risotto in consistency while seasonal availability dictated winter menus featuring dried meats and summer tables displaying fresh greens.
Pliny the Elder wrote about puls in his Natural History volume 19 sections 83 and 84 where he described it as the original food of the Italian people. Other classical texts referenced the dish without naming specific authors while Emily Gowers analyzed how writers portrayed food in Roman literature during the 20th century.