United States
£ GBP
The forty plants presented in this book comprise both herbs and other plants that were important for culinary, medicinal and cult purposes in classical antiquity. Thus olive and pomegranate, myrtle and rose join coriander and marjoram, garlic and thyme. In the introduction, the author draws on her extensive knowledge of ancient practices to pant an intriguing image of the many and varied uses of and myths about plants from Greek and particularly Roman kitchen gardens. Quotes from classical authors testify to ancient practices, some curious, some still standard today.
The delightful illustrations reproduce drawings from early nineteenth-century botanical publications, which often show the plants at various stages of growth, from seeds through ripe fruits. It is an attractive compendium of ancient herbal lore. It is an intriguing mix of medicinal, religious and culinary uses. It includes colourful botanical illustrations throughout.
