Ancient Greek Spices

The ancient Greeks imported cinnamon and other spices.

Ancient Greek cuisine was vibrant and sophisticated, providing nourishment as well as medicine. The ancient Greeks seasoned their food with spices that grew on their own soil as well as aromatics imported from the Far East. Many of the spices used by the ancient Greeks are still familiar to us today.

Anise

Anise grew in ancient Greece, where cooks used it to season their food and as a tonic to help calm the nerves, improve sexual performance and enhance digestion. The seeds of the anise plant have a flavor much like licorice, and the ancient Greeks used them in both sweet and savory dishes. In addition, anise is used to provide the characteristic flavor in the classic Greek liqueur Ouzo. The rest of the anise plant can be used for seasoning as well.

Mahaleb

Mahaleb, or mahaleb cherry, is a spice commonly used in ancient Greek cooking that is indigenous to the Greek islands. The spice comes from a plant commonly known as the Persian cherry tree. It has a pungent, bitter flavor and was typically used to flavor breads and pastries. As with most other spices that the ancient Greeks used for cooking, it had medicinal properties as well, and was used for respiration, digestion and for its anti-inflammatory properties. However, it can be toxic if taken in excess.

Saffron

Saffron was another spice that grew in ancient Greece and was commonly used in cooking. According to ancient Greek legend, the ancient Greek messenger god Hermes first created saffron. Unlike other indigenous spices, saffron was quite expensive, as it still is today because it is extremely labor-intensive to produce. It was especially prized by the ancient Greek royalty, who used it as a medicine and a dye for clothing as well as a seasoning.

Imported Spices

Even as early as the days of ancient Greece, merchants imported spices from India and points further east. Spices imported to ancient Greece include cinnamon, cloves, black pepper and nutmeg. These aromatics did not grow on Greek soil, and the process of importing them took month and even years. Arab merchants mostly carried these spices from the East and through the Mediterranean, sometimes risking their lives to do so. As a result of this distance and these hardships, imported spices were extremely expensive in ancient Greece, making them status symbols as well as seasoning tools.

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