The Silphium PlantI was interested in the
history of the Silphium
Plant since I began collecting
ancient coins. In particular because it is the proof that the extinction of species is not the privileg of modern mankind.
Cyrenaica, Kyrene, c. 250 BC
AE 21, 7.56g
obv. Head of Zeus-Ammon, wearing
taenia, r.
rev. Silphium
Plant in l. and r.
field KOI - NON
ref.
SNG Copenhagen 1276-84
Rare, VF, dark green
patina with earthen deposits
Many of the botanical details of the
plant can be seen
sharp and clear.
Some notes on the
Cyrenaica:
In 247 BC
Ptolemy III (
Euergetes) succeeded to the throne of
Egypt, and by
his marriage with Berenice, daughter of Magas, who was queen in her own right of
Cyrenaica, united the diadems of
Egypt and that country. The evidence of the coins goes to prove that throughout the reign of
Euergetes, whether owning to a successful revolt or not, the Cyrenaeans enjoyed an interval of autonomy, which did not cease until after
his death. It was during this period that they sent to Megalopolis in Arcadia to obtain the aid of the philosophers Demophanes and Ekdemos, who
had assisted Aratos in the liberation of Sikyon from her tyrants. These statesmen were entrusted with the government of the
Cyrenaica, which they appear to have reconstituted on the lines of the Achaean League. So much, at least, we may infer from Polybius (x. 25) and Plutarch CPhilop, i. 1), and from the Federal coins in silver and bronze, bearing the
legend ΚΟΙΝΟΝ, which are probably to be attributed to this time, as the bronze pieces are often restruck on regal bronze of
Ptolemy II (HN).
Name:
Silphium, Greek Silphion, is the name of a
plant growing in the Cyrenaika. The name itself is non-Greek and originates of an indigenous Semitic(?) language
silphi,
sirphi,
Lat.
sirpe; to this
Lat.
laserpicium, from
lac sirpicium. There are passed down several Greek names especially of parts of the
plant.
History:
The first reference of Silphion we owe to Herodotos who on
his voyages came through the
Cyrenaica too. According to the tradition it is said that Silphion was introduced by Aristaios, a grandson of the
king of the Lapiths and scholar of the
wise centaur Cheiron. So we have a religious connection to the cult of Aristaios (
cf. Schol. in Aristoph. Eq. 894). Silphion together with gold and silver was hoarded in treasuries a we can see on the lower depiction of the Arkesilas
cup (look at the attachment).
Botany:
The
rev. of the
coin shows a
complete Silphion
Plant. Typical the high, thick, sculptured stam with the crossed position of the leafs which are enwrapping the stam at the origin, the blossoms which came out of the leaf axils and the big round composite
head. Even though we have accurate descriptions by Theophrastos and others (especially Plin.
nat. 19, 38-46), the depictions on coins of
Cyrenaica and several efforts of historians and botanists, the certain botanical
attribution of Silphion was not successful. Roughly speaking we have two groups of scientists: the first one prefers a celery species, the other a fennel species. Because after the extinction of Silphion it has been replaced by
Asia foetida, it seems to be a
plant related to Scorodosma foetida which provided
Asia foetida. Silphion should have
had an intensive but pleasant smell.
Usage:
Stalks and leaves were eaten as vegetables. By carving stems and roots a resinlike chyle was gained. This drug was used as spice. Besides its usage in the Greek-Roman kitchen (look at the recipes of Apicius) several medical effects were ascribed to Silphion so that it was hold for a magical medicine. It was said to cure couphing and sore throat, lowering fever, remediating maldigestion (especially important for the ancient
Romans because of their heavy eating), relieving heavy pain, eliminating warts and all kinds of suffering. A main role Silphion (according to Plinius) played as Contraceptivum. Because we know today that many species of celery own estrogenic properties, and some - like the Wild Carrot - have abortive effects too, it is well possible that Silphion was used to prevent gravidities or to end them. Silphion was connected to sexuality and love by contemporaneous writers too. In a poem of Catullus to
his beloved
Livia (Catull 7) occurs the
Lat.
laserpicium. Pausanias as well describes the usage of Silphion by young maids. It was used by nearly all cultures around the Mediterranean. The
Romans considered it as 'worth its
weight in deanarii'. From the 6th century BC on it was a highly estimated drug and as export article it was the base of the wealthness of the
Cyrenaica. It was profitably traded in Hellenistic times too (Plaut. Rud. 630), but in the beginning of Imperial times the true Silphion has disappeared from the market (extincted in the
Cyrenaica?) and was replaced by the inferior Silphion from the East.
The disappearing of Silphion:
Silphion never could be cultivated. It was only harvested as a wild form. It is said that the inhabitants of the
Cyrenaica have driven goats on the Silphion fields to increase the
price. So the
plant was decimated and then extirpated. Plinius mentions that already in
his time only one Silphion stem has been found which as last example of this famous
plant as gift has been given to
Nero, who has eaten it with pleasure.The true reasons why Silphion finely became extincted is not clear at all. Probably we have several different reasons:
(1) Despite many attempts the ancients never succeeded in cultivating Silphion. So they depend on its naturally wild growing.
(2) Although there were rigorous harvesting orders and strict export regulations - controlled by the
king and
his officials - especially under
Roman rule began an over harvesting which led to decrease of Silphion.
(3) The wars and civil wars at the time of the
Romans led to confusion and disorder so that the order collapsed which was essential for the Silphion harvest.
(4) As a result the Silphion farmers pauperized and changed to
sheep farming. The
sheep were eating the delicious
plant and a shortage occured. There is the thesis too that it was done to raise the Silphion
price.
(5) A last reason - up to date in our time - was a climatic change in the Maghreb. The temperatures were raising and the spreading deserts destroyed valuable farmland.
(6) But we should see that Silphion was threatened from the start because its habitat was only a 55km broad and 200km long stripe along the coast of the
Cyrenaica.
Silphium rediscovered?
Surprisingly in AD 2001 an article "Silphium Rediscovered" appears in ''Celator 15 (2): 23-24" by W.S.
Wright. He referred to an article of the
Italian A. Manunta from AD 1996 who has visited
Libya in AD 1990 and 1991. He has shown
ancient coins with the Silphion
plant to native Bedouins which then have pointed him to a
plant which he has recognized as the extinct ancient Silphion. This
plant he identified as Cachrys ferulacea. Its location on the
Cyrenaica was new. But this
plant is known from
Sicily, Southern
Italy and the Southern Balkans.
This conception contradicts Monika Kiehn who convincingly can show that Cachrys ferulacea was known already in ancient times and was clearly distinguished from Silphion. She as botanist holds Silphion for an Umbellifera and thinks that it was related to Ferula communis, Giant Fennel. She contradicts too the thesis that Silphion was used as contraceptivum or abortivum. She supposed too that the Arkesilas
cup doesn't show the shipping of Silphion. because on the
cup it was packed in
sacks whereas Theophrastos and Plinus write that is was shipped in
amphoras.
http://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/mpc13.pdf I have added
(1) a pic of Scorodosma foetidum, which could be related to Silphion
(2) a pic of the toxic Big Fennnel, which according to Kiehn is related to Silphion
(3) a pic of the Arkesilas
cup. This
cup was found in Volci and is now in the Bibliotheque National Francaise in
Paris.
King Arkesilaos is sitting under a tarpaulin wearing an African hut. Because of this and another
cup of the Arkesilas painter (named after this
cup), showing the Nymph Kyrene wrestling against a
lion, the Arkesilas painter at first was located to
Africa. Later findings have located him to Laconia. Arkesilaos is watching seven workers which are packing wares, weighing, stacking and shipping it. The functions of the workers and the name of the
king are marked by inscriptions. Unclear is what wares are shipped. Several scientists vote for Silphion because Arkesialos has
had the trade monopoly. Several African
animals are illustrating the African location of the depicted scene. Historically seen this pic is the evidence for the strong connection between Sparta and North-Africa.
Sources:
Der Kleine
PaulyHellmut Baumann, Pflanzenbilder auf griechischen Münzen
Wikipediahttp://pagesperso-orange.fr/dalby/texts/SilphiumTexts.htmlhttp://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Silphion.htmlhttp://www.islamonline.net/English/Science/2003/08/article02.shtml (abortivum, contraceptivum)
The literature about Silphium is unmanageable. For a deeper overview I recommend the following site (in
German):
http://www.oeaz.at/zeitung/3aktuell/2001/23/haupt/haupt23_2001tier.htmlBest regards