Before the Destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 70 C. E., Passover was a very different holiday.  The seder innovation came in Palestine, after the defeat of the Jews in 132 C.E., in the Bar Kochba Revolt.  The idea evolved out of the Roman symposia, where people drank, talked, ate, drank, talked and drank all night.  Jewish sages and thinkers and innovators of the day organized it around the same concept, only spread the four cups carefully throughout the evening.  

A "cup" was the size of an egg.  What kind of egg?  Maybe a chicken, maybe a quail egg, maybe a bird's egg.  Anywhere between a thimble-full and chicken egg.  

Wine was actually a gummy resin from aged and treated grapes that were the consistency of honey.    The resin had to be mixed with water; to drink unmixed wine was considered boorish.  Imagine:  if water was scarce in a time of drought, in times four cups of concentrate would make the table pretty drunk.  

Nonetheless, then as now, four cups are required for everyone, even the poor.


haggadah Section: -- Cup #2 & Dayenu