From Greece Is: Ancient Myths and Medicine: The Plants in the National Garden
This article was published on GREECE IS on August 21, 2021.
EDITOR’S PICK
Excerpt from GREECE IS: “From the classical myths that surround them to the medicinal value they hold, the plants of Greece have stories to tell and gifts to bestow. Among Greece’s many natural wonders is its biodiversity. With more than 5,500 plant species, of which approximately 760 are endemic, the country is full of herbs, flowers, shrubs and trees associated with certain ancient gods and goddesses and with episodes in their lives. Many of these same plants were used in herbal treatments and in sacred rituals, as well as in the daily cuisine of the ancients, and surviving texts written by philosophers and physicians of that era stress the central role of plants in both spiritual and medical matters. Today, the healing power of these plants remains unchanged, but knowledge of their properties and of the stories linked to them are fading from our collective memory. By exploring their celebrated past, we can keep these tales alive and honor the roles they played in the lives of the ancients.”