Silphium, also known as silphion or laser, is an extinct plant species
of the genus Ferula. It was described as having a thick root, a stalk
like fennel, large alternating leaves with leaflets like celery, spherical
clusters of small yellow flowers at the top and broad leaf-like, heart-shaped
fruit called phyllon. Some of the best known representations of silphium
are the stylized images used on the ancient coins of Kyrenaika (modern-day
Libya). The plant was valued in ancient times because of its many
uses as a food source, seasoning for food, and, most importantly, as a
medication. Perfumes were made from the flowers, the stalk was used
for food or fodder while the juice and root were used to make a variety
of medical potions.
Reported medical uses for the juice included remedies for cough, sore
throat, fever, indigestion, fluid retention, seizures, aches and pains.
The sap was supposed to be able to remove warts and other growths.
In addition, Pliny wrote that silphium could be used for a variety of diverse
conditions including treatment of leprosy, to restore hair, cleanse retained
afterbirth from the womb and as an antidote for poisons. Potions
made from silphium were supposedly among the most effective birth-control
methods known at the time. Preparations used for birth control included
a tea made from the leaves, a "pea-sized" ball of sap mixed with wine and
a suppository containing the juice. The timing of administration
suggests it probably functioned as an abortifacient similar to preparations
made from related plant species.
Apparently, silphium only grew in a restricted area, approximately 125
miles by 35 miles, on the coastal plateaus of Kyrenaika. The Greeks
believed the plant was a gift from Apollo which appeared after a heavy
rain storm flooded the area at about the time the city of Kyrene was founded
in the seventh century BC. Of course, there is evidence that sliphium
was used much earlier in Egypt, Libya and even Greece. Silphium supposedly
resisted attempts at cultivation and transplantation, which made it one
of the major revenue sources contributing to Kyrenaika's wealth.
Pliny described it as "one of the most precious gift from Nature to man."
It was considered to be "worth its weight in denarii" during Roman times
because of its varied medical uses and scarcity. The plant reportedly
became extinct around the first century A.D., perhaps because of overutilization.
Other plants, also referred to as "silphium," grow in other locations around
the Mediterranean, but were considered to be of inferior quality.
As a result, the loss of silphium from Kyrenaika was greatly lamented in
Rome.
REPRESENTATION OF SILPHIUM ON THE COINAGE OF KYRENAIKA*
* adapted from Robinson ESG. A Catalogue of Greek Coins in the
British Museum - Cyrenaica. vol 29. pp ccliii-ccliv. Oxford University
Press. London. 1927
A CHRONOLOGY OF THE HISTORY OF KYRENAIKA AND ITS COINAGE
APPENDIX TO CHRONOLOGY
* Read “The Histories” by Herotodus for an excellent account of
the founding and early history of Kyrenaika.
** The “Asiatic” weight standard is actually coins based on a
“drachm” that is one-fifth of an Attic-weight tetradrachm, i.e., an “Asiatic-weight
tetradrachm” is 80% of the weight of an Attic tetradrachm.
SILPHIUM & KYRENAICA BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. White D. Cyrene. in Stillwell R, MacDonald WL, McAlister
MH (eds) Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites. 1976. at www.perseus.tufts.edu
2. Herodotus. The Histories. II:161, 181, III:131, IV:150-165,
200-205. (various translations)
3. Theophrastus. Enquiry into Plants and Minor Works on Odors
and Weather Signs. II:13- 21. (translation by Hort A. Cambridge,1949.)
4. Pliny the Elder. Natural History. XIX:38-46 and XXII:100-106.(various
translations)
5. Gemmill CL. Silphium. Bull History of Med 40(4): 295-313.
July-Aug, 1966.
6. Riddle JM, Estes JW, Russell JC. Birth Control in the Ancient
World. Archeology, pp 27-33, March-April, 1994.
7. Riddle JM. Eve's Herbs: a History of Contraception and Abortion
in the West. pp 44-46. Harvard University Press, Cambridge. 1997.
8. Fisher N. Laser-Quests: Unnoticed Allusions to Contraception in a
Poem and a Princeps? Classics Ireland 3:73-97. 1996.
9. Koerper HC, Kolls AL. The Silphium Motif Adorning Ancient Libyan
Coinage: Marketing a Medical Plant. Economic Botany 53(2):133-143.
April-June, 1999.
10. Robinson ESG. A Catalogue of Greek Coins in the British Museum
- Cyrenaica. vol 29. Oxford University Press. London. 1927.
11. Naville L. Les Monnaies d’Or de la Cyrenaique de 450 a 250
Avant JC: Contribution a l’Etude des Monnaies Grecques Antiques.
Geneva. 1951.
12. Price M, Waggoner N. Archaic Greek Silver Coinage: the Asyut
Hoard. pp 111-114, 120. London. 1975.
13. Buttrey TV. Part I: The Coins from the Sanctuary of Demeter
and Persephone. in White D (Ed). Extramural Sanctuary of Demeter
and Persephone at Cyrene Libya, Final Reports: Vol. VI. pp 1-66.
Philadelphia. 1997.
14. Sear DR. Greek Coins and Their Values: Vol II - Asia and Africa.
pp 578-591. Seaby. London. 1996 reprint.
15. Tameanko M. The Silphium Plant: Wonder Drug of the Ancient World
Depicted on Coins. Celator 6(4):26-28. April, 1992.
16. Marotta M. The Purse of Eratosthenes: Coinage and Commerce of Cyrene.
Celator 8(l):18-20. January, 1994.
17. Favorito EN, Baty K. The Silphium Connection. Celator 9(2):6-8.
Feb, 1995.
18. Tatman JL. Silphium, Silver and Strife: A History of Kyrenaika
and Its Coinage. Celator 14(10):6-24. Oct, 2000.
19. Wright WS Silphium Rediscovered. Celator 15(2):23-24. Feb
2001.
MORE INFORMATION
A review of the history of Kyrenaika and its coinage is in the October,
2000 issue of the Celator. A recent article by W.S. Wright on the
possibility that silphium still exists is in the February, 2001 issue of
the Celator. (See references)
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