Pompeii was a bustling metropolis of its time and the city was full of lavish houses and gardens; some gardens were not only ornamental, they were also practical, in that they contained many of the medicinal plants and herbs used today. Preserved by the lava and ash of the Vesuvius eruption, evidence suggests that Pompeians used many plants in much the same way as they are used today.
Due to its close proximity to the fertile slopes of Vesuvius, Pompeii was blessed with a rich fertile soil in which plants thrived; a moderate climate also helped. Many of the smaller houses used their land for crop growing as opposed to the elaborate gardens of the rich. As well as plants and herbs used for medicinal purposes and perfume making, archaeologists have discovered evidence that trees such as figs, pears and chestnuts were grown too for culinary use.
Medicinal and Aromatic Use of Plants
Due to the favorable growing conditions around Pompeii, many plants and herbs were to be found, as it was cheaper to grow locally than to import from a more expensive and foreign land. Plants grown in ancient Pompeii included rose (Rosa damascena), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), myrrh (Commiphora myrrha), laurel (Laurus nobilis), myrtle (Myrtus communis) and lily.
Many plants and herbs were used to make perfumes for Pompeian ladies; examples of these perfumes were:
- Rhodinum -a combination of rose, fennel, myrrh and incense
- Mirtum-laurum - included lily, laurel, myrtle and myrrh
- Susinum – made up of lilies of Pompeii
- Melinon - marjoram, almonds and grapevine leaves
- Iasminum - made from Jasmine.
Perfumes made from plants and herbs, with no additives like synthetic perfumes today, had the additional use of being both therapeutic and medicinal, as well as being able to disguise some of the more unpleasant smells associated with some living conditions. Herbs and plants were also used to scent laundry, treat ulcers and combat sweat. Chamomile was used to calm the nerves, particularly during athletic competitions. Thyme flowers were reputedly used in some form in cosmetic bases.
Evidence of Plant Use in Pompeii
Pliny the Elder wrote frequently about the gardens of that time and it is recorded that the region of Campania was the most prolific in producing perfume from the roses grown there. Botanical research and excavation of the remains of Pompeii has shown that plants such as hyacinth, dill, rosemary, thyme, basil, iris, violet, rose and lily were very much in use.
Ancient frescoes found in the House of Vettii in Pompeii depict the collection of plants and flowers and the process of perfume making; archaeological excavations have uncovered the remains of perfume shops and plant remains have been preserved in lava ash. There is little doubt that medicinal and aromatic plants were in common usage in ancient Pompeian times, much as they are today.
References:
Amery, Colin, Curran Jr, Brian, 2002 The Lost World of Pompeii USA: Getty Publications
Giordano, Carlo, Casale, Angelandrea, Profumi, Ungenti e Acconciature in Pompei Antica (Perfumes, Ungents and Hairstyles in Pompeii) Roma, Italia: Bardi Editore
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