Did you know: How the Romans used herbs as medicine?

When I first started looking for oils in the past I thought for sure my first stop would be Rome. Really my love of history stared in Rome and my mind often goes there whenever I think of the past. But as soon as I started looking for the origins of man and medicinal plants I found myself looking back in to pre-history. To the beginning where we started seeing civilizations I found that all of them had a relationship with plants and healing and Rome had not yet stood out. 

Other civilizations like Egypt made herbology a massive part of their culture and developed first in the study and application of oils. While China on the other side of the globe was scientifically categorizing and testing every plant they could find. Romans though did not seem to stand out at all when we look back and look for herbs in history. Still they were there and they did get in on the game. So for no other particular reason then all roads lead to Rome lets go looking for plants from Roman history.

Once upon a time all roads lead to Rome was more than just a colloquialism it was a fact; all roads did lead to Rome. In Rome's heyday any civilization that could connect to the Mediterranean did and all those roads carried the herbs and spices of the known world to Rome.  

Rome was not known for its inventions but more so incorporation of other's great ideas. Take for example the famous historian and orator Pliny the younger. This prolific polymath took the time to compile a list of over a 1000 plants and their medical uses before his death in 79 AD. Though not all of his medical practices would still be used to this day, for example the practice of boiling earth worms in oil and injecting them in the ear for a tooth ache.  Some things he got right, like rosemary as an germ-destroyer and Poppy to calm the nerves.

True the Romans were not the first to produce plant oils for medical use, but they did revolutionize mass production. Olive oil was one of their main exports and a staple in ancient life. All throughout the Roman world a great deal of resources went in to producing olive oil and the techniques used were quickly adapted to other plants. By the days of our old friend Pliny the younger it is estimated that the Romans used 2800 tons of frankincense a year for medicine and perfumes.

When the romans liked a thing they used a lot of it. A lot of their oil use came from the Roman baths. After washing themselves they would massage themselves with oils of all sorts. Some were for perfume. A lot were for religious practices. Some were believed to fight off sickness and some actually helped. The ever social Romans were public health conscious and the Roman bath was one way they promoted public health. Over a 1000 bath houses could be found in Rome alone by the end of the late imperium. That would call for a lot of oil to clean all those daily visitors.

Sometimes their love of a thing would lead to its extinction. Take for example Silphium. This plant had a lot of uses in the ancient world but the use that gained Silphium its fame is it's use as a contraceptive. It worked so well that the Romans used it all up and left none for us. There is some evidence that the heart shape we have come to associate with love comes from their heart shaped leaves.

I could spend all day in Rome and I am sure there are more herbal secrets to uncover. But this series covers history of herbs not history of Rome so we'll have to come back later. Next time I would like to introduce you to some of my favorite ancient historians who have helped preserve herbal knowledge for us.     

Thank you for reading. Until next time, be well!

Robert

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