Ancient Greek Herbalism Intensive

Welcome to The Herbarium’s intensive on Ancient Greek Herbalism with clinical herbalist Maria Christodoulou and thank you for joining us for this engaging exploration into Greek herbal history, mythology, and materia medica! There are three sessions in this intensive—two written lessons and one narrated video presentation.

The ancient Greeks told fantastical tales about the natural world woven into myths and depicted in artistic imagery. They also studied the natural world in detail and recorded botanical observations and medicinal applications of plants, leaving behind a treasure trove of ideas and remedies. 

Maria starts this intensive short course with the material evidence of herbal medicine in ancient Greece, influences from Egypt and India, the four humours of ancient Greek herbalism, and key historical figures who wrote about medicinal applications of plants. In Session 2, she takes you on a fascinating journey through the divine herbs associated with Greek gods and goddesses in Greek mythology, the gods and goddesses associated with healing, and the ancient witchcraft of Circe and Hekate. In Session 3, Maria explores the historical applications of popular herbs—olive, sage, chamomile, and mint—written about in celebrated ancient Greek texts and takes a trip to the Greek countryside to explore native Greek plants—Greek oregano, mastic, Cretan dittany, and mountain tea—treasured since ancient times.

By the end of this intensive, you will have a rich understanding of the concepts and plants that provide a foundation of herbal medicine in the ancient Greek world and unveil the timeless magic of these plants!