Which fish sauce is most similar to garum?

Garum was a popular fish sauce in ancient Roman cuisine, made through the fermentation of fish intestines and other parts, often with the addition of salt and various seasonings. It was known for its complex flavor and was widely used as a condiment.

Liquamen is the most similar to garum as it is another term used in ancient texts that describes a liquid fish sauce. In essence, liquamen was often used interchangeably with garum in culinary contexts, and both were derived from the fermentation of fish. While liquamen and garum may have had slight variations in their ingredient composition or methods of production, they served similar culinary purposes in Roman cooking.

Other options do not represent fish sauces in the same context. Ficatum refers to a type of liver, particularly that of the goose, used in dishes but not as a fish sauce. Amurca is a type of olive oil residue and does not relate to fish sauce, while oleum is simply the Latin word for oil in general. Thus, the distinct characteristics and uses of these other terms underscore why liquamen is the correct choice in relation to garum.