Silphium was a plant that was used inclassical antiquity as a seasoning and as a medicine.[1] It is also known assilphion,laserwort, orlaser. It was the essential item of trade from the ancient North African city ofCyrene. Most of thecoins from Cyrene show a picture of the plant. The valuable product was the plant'sresin (calledlaser,laserpicium, orlasarpicium).
Silphium was an importantspecies. TheEgyptians and theMinoan civilization ofKnossos used a specialglyph in their writing for the silphium plant.[2] It was used by most ancientMediterranean cultures. TheRomans considered it "worth its weight indenarii" (silver coins). Legend said that it was a gift from the godApollo.
Which plant species silphium was is unclear. It is commonly believed to be a now-extinct plant of thegenusFerula.[1] The still-living plant speciesFerula tingitana has been suggested as another possibility.[3] Another resin from differentFerula species,asafoetida, was used as a cheaper substitute for silphium.[4] Asafoetida is still available.
