According to one of the legends, this plant was first noticed after heavy downpours, which once hit the east coast of Libya, where the ancient Greek city of Cyrene was at that time. The grass quickly began to grow, its strong root system fought desperately for life, spreading throughout the district. And soon the lush stems of sylphia adorned all the nearby slopes and forest glades.
Over time, people discovered its amazing properties. The sylphium was so tasty and healthy that the plant became very valuable. It was used for medical purposes. Pliny wrote that this herb was used to heal bite wounds from stray dogs and to relieve symptoms of rectal diseases. Also, the plant was used for coughs, sore throats, high fever, gastrointestinal disorders and warts. It was an antidote for snake and scorpion bites.
Sylph had a wonderful smell. Perfume was made from its delicate inflorescences, and dried milk juice was used as a seasoning for any dishes. Sylphius was taken with them to the bedroom, since the plant was a powerful aphrodisiac and was considered a contraceptive. Modern scientists believe that the herb was very effective and that it really controlled fertility.
Sylphius had seeds that looked like a heart. Perhaps their shape became the prototype of romantic hearts that modern lovers send to each other in postcards and messages.
The ancient Romans sang this herb in poetry and songs. Mentions of her can be found in several great works of ancient literature.
The grass was made the symbol of Cyrene and the local currency. For many centuries, rulers prohibited the export of Sylphium seeds outside the city, thereby maintaining a monopoly. Foreigners paid big bucks for the popular plant, and the city flourished. Sylphium was sold for the weight of gold and silver coins. They also paid tribute to the Romans. According to historians, Julius Caesar's vaults contained 680 kg of sylphium, which equated to the official treasury.
Unfortunately, the grass disappeared as suddenly as it appeared - not only from Africa, but also from the face of the earth. Pliny the Elder (died 79 CE) wrote that in his entire life he had heard of only one stem plucked from about 54–68 CE. and sent to Nero for review. But the greedy emperor immediately ate the precious offering - perhaps it was the last specimen of the sylphium.
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The reasons for the extinction of the valuable herb have not been established. Perhaps it was collected too diligently or there was some other biological reason. People have failed to tame the wild grass. All attempts to grow her outside of Cyrene have been unsuccessful.
Scientists believe that sylphium was a distant relative of carrots and belonged to a group of plants in the umbrella family, similar to fennel. Now similar grasses grow like weeds in North Africa and the Mediterranean. Two of them - Tangier fennel and giant fennel - still exist on the territory of modern Libya. Perhaps one of them is the same Sylphius. This means that the lost ancient plant can again take its rightful place in the world.
Elena Muravyova for neveroyatno.info