As conquest and exploration in the ancient world occurred, people shared knowledge. Therefore, herbal practices were common throughout the known world. Here look at a few of the herbs, and one of the theories of understanding health and balance.
Through exploration, conquest and the desire to aid the sick, ancient civilizations tended to adopt medical knowledge from each other. For instance, when Alexander the Great conquered all of the known world, Persia, Egypt, India, he thought he was expanding the glory of Greece. All nations brought under Greek rule, however, brought their traditions and customs and their medicine. This tendency to fuse knowledge into something new can be seen in most areas. Certainly it shows in medicine and pharmacy. Barbara Griggs pointed out in Green Pharmacy, "the drug inventories of the three great civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt and India show such remarkable similarities that there was obviously a continual exchange of discovery and information among the professionals."
Following are a few representative examples herbs and their common uses in ancient India, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece http://www.toplink.gr/gr … index.html and Rome: Asafoetida (Ferula assafoetida) - a gum resin of the roots with antispasmodic, expectorant and carminative properties. Used to prevent and eliminative colic and gas and aiding digestion and assimilation.
Castor Plant (Ricinus communis) - the thick, viscid oil was used as a powerful laxative and purgative.
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) - the stalks were eaten like as a vegetable, while the seeds were eaten to relieve of intestinal colic and gas.
Galangal (Alpinia officinarum) - similar to ginger.
Carminative, stimulant for dyspepsia. Widely used as a condiment. Linseed or flax seed (Linum usitatissimum) – soothing demulcent, emollient, laxative, antitussive and pectoral. Was applied externally as a poultice for burns, scalds, boils. Was used in a soothing cough medicine.
Juniper (Juniperus communis) - diuretic, antiseptic, carminative and anti-inflammatory.
Saffron (Crocus sativus) - the bright orange stigma inside the crocus was collected. The flavor is aromatic and pleasantly bitter. It was used as a carminative, diaphoretic, and emmenagogue or blood moving herb.
Not only were herbs shared, used by each of these civilizations, but the theoretical basis for their use were also adopted. There was a common method of evaluating herbs according to their energies - hot, warm, neutral, cool, cold; and their flavors - spicy, bitter, sweet, sour, salty and bland, expressed through the theory of humors.
The Greek/Roman language describing the humors involved classifying a person as Sanguine - hot/moist; Phlegmatic - cold/moist; Melancholic - cold, dry; or Choleric - hot/dry.
Sanguine qualities meant a ruddy complexion, cheerful, confident and optimistic personality, and a tendency towards feverish, inflammatory diseases. Melancholic individuals had pale complexion, heightened sensitivity and visionary tendencies and were susceptible to nervous and reproductive disorders.
Phlegmatic means cold and moist, so these people are duller, slower and less sensitivity than the sanguine personality. Theirs was a tendency towards congestion, stagnation, rheumatic and mucus conditions.
Choleric qualities are hot and dry, opposite of phlegmatic.
These people would have a hot and fiery temperament, be easily angered and tend to develop liver diseases, high blood pressure, rashes, sun sensitivity, burns and fevers with little perspiration.

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