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Pertinax

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and..looping back to GO's post regarding the presence of hemp as a suggested relaxant, this outtake from a pm by Pantagathus gives us a clue as to the presence of the material in abundant quantities:

 

"from Moschion writing about Hiero of Syracuse's ships: "for cordage, esparto grass from Spain and hemp and pitch from the Rhone valley"I think you'll find the esparto - hemp combo mentioned in Polybius as well".

 

Thanks for that Pantagathus.

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  • 3 weeks later...

This isnt strictly Roman medicine, frankly its Prehistoric, but I suspect any decent Medicus would have known this as a useful tool for the removal of necrotic tissue:

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/arti...in_page_id=1774

 

and makes excellent sense to me.

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  • 4 months later...

I haven't visited my poor old thread for a long while...however Flavia Gemina was kind enough to send me a copy of "Pirates of Pompeii" and I was straightway interested to see some of the plants mentioned in th early part of the book. Flavia and Nubia are scouring the hillside above Stabia just after the eruption of Vesuvius , Cyclamen is the first sought plant (usually used as a homeopathic strength tincture as it can be a violent purge if used in too high a dose, but excellent for dire gastric upsets ) , relatively rare in the wild but widely cultivated as a decorative plant. Red Valerian is mentioned (painkiller/sedative/digestive), dove-weed (which is Mullein -excellent in the context of the eruption if one were treating seared lungs or non-fatal fume inhalation) but blood blossom I find excitingly mysterious ..perhaps FG can help with the common name?

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Blood-blossom = St John's Wort

 

I think I got 'blood-blossom' from a book which I'm sure is on your shelf: A Pompeian Herbal, by Wilhemina Feemster Jashemski, (ISBN 0292740603). She writes this about St John's Wort:

 

Dioscorides' description (3.172) is similar. He says the plant... 'androsimon [man's blood] is a kind of hyperikon.' Popular fancy has always been struck by the blood coloured liquid which oozes from the penduncles when the flowers are pulled up... p56

 

I guess I then made up the name 'blood-blossom' based on that description.

 

Hope that satisfies your curiosity.

 

Flavia

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Ah yes of course the hypericum ( perforatum variety) "bleeds" , what an excellent name for the plant, .An excellent remedy for depression ( as it is mostly known today) of course, but a useful urinary astringent , as a poultice for bed wetting (in children) and as a medicine for spine pain.

 

Here is the very rare coastal variety:

http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?automo...=si&img=545

 

and heres my front garden!

http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?automo...=si&img=149

 

I see in Jashemski a reference to use on burns which is almost forgotten. I also see the reference to Dioscorides where he says "man's blood" but blood blossom is far more lyrical is it not?

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...blood blossom is far more lyrical is it not?

 

Me writer. Me lyrical.

 

(Nice pix!)

 

Flavia

Edited by Flavia Gemina
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Returning to "dove weed" (mullein. Verbascum thapsus assume as the commenest variety in Europe), as I suggested this is presently noted as a demulcent ( slime out of your throat and lungs) emollient (soothing to same) and vulnerary (wound healer) ...so Flavia and Nubia are certainly gathering the correct plant for smoke inhalation cases.

Jashemski notes that the modern Pompeiian workmen use the herb for all complaints of the liver (and this would apply to any pectoral damage including blood in the urine) , the herb is very complex chemically containing many flavinoids , iridoid glycosides and catalpol.

I sampled a little of the fluid extract today and it is richly aromatic (like a keen molasses) and tastes wonderful.

Gerard advises use of the steeped flowers mixed with dung as a poultice for piles..I think Ill stick to cauterisation.

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That is a great idea. I don't know much on the subject (other than that men were said to wear cleopatra-like eye makeup on occasion). We should start another thread on that.

 

Im trying to get some collyrium images sourced , but that might be tricky. I will post if I get a lead.

 

The use of makeup cross gender is interesting , given that we have a society where Judaeo-Christian notions of body shame are absent (certainly in the late Republican era at the very least) and modern "definitions" of sexuality are absent this would be worth some study.The use of cosmetics in other cultures and historical epochs certainly informs us that women were not the sole users of such items The chemical make up of grooming products and any magical/medicinal virtues would likewise be an interesting area.

Ancient Roman cosmetic cream unearthed

Salve! Maybe this link can be helpful.

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I finished FG's "Pirates" and had thought that the sleeping draught given to the villains was going to be some Opium derivative or possibly Hemp , but I see that FG went for dessicated psycho-active mushroom (the pirates hallucinated in a number of highly creative ways and some perished rather unpleasantly as a result).FG did I overlook a specific name ( Pantherina would be my guess) or was the suggested action due to general mushroom ability to transmit endophytes?

 

http://bugs.bio.usyd.edu.au/Mycology/Plant...inGeneral.shtml

 

I now look forward to some rollicking fun with poison in Surrentum.

 

ps: I forgot, Lucius Brassus ha ha very good ...as in " Luca , im Bruno Tattaglia"

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