Silphium facts for kids
Silphium was a plant that was used in classical antiquity as a seasoning and as a medicine. It is also known as silphion, laserwort, or laser. It was the essential item of trade from the ancient North African city of Cyrene. Most of the coins from Cyrene show a picture of the plant. The valuable product was the plant's resin (called laser, laserpicium, or lasarpicium).
Silphium was an important species. The Egyptians and the Minoan civilization of Knossos used a special glyph in their writing for the silphium plant. It was used by most ancient Mediterranean cultures. The Romans considered it "worth its weight in denarii" (silver coins). Legend said that it was a gift from the god Apollo.
Which plant species silphium was is unclear. It is commonly believed to be a now-extinct plant of the genus Ferula. The still-living plant species Ferula tingitana has been suggested as another possibility. Another resin from different Ferula species, asafoetida, was used as a cheaper substitute for silphium. Asafoetida is still available.
Images for kids
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A coin of Magas of Cyrene c. 300–282/75 BC. Reverse: silphium and small crab symbols.
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Weighing and loading of silphium at Cyrene
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Drawing of Heracleum sphondylium, showing its heart-shaped mericarp
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Ancient silver coin from Cyrene depicting a seed or fruit of silphium
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Italian coat of arms Il silfio d'oro reciso di Cirenaica
See also
In Spanish: Silfio para niños
