History of Herbs in Egypt- History of Herbs
Herbs were used extensively about 2700 B.C. They grew abundantly in the rich soil by the River Nile and were concocted into potions and ointments and, together with rare and exotic spices, were used for embalming the dead. Medical schools began to flourish in Egypt and it is thought that the Greek Physician Hippocrates was a student at one of these schools. Another great Greek physician, Dioscorides, who lived during the reign of Nero, was the author of a herbal material, and it is said that for a thousand years afterwards, doctors in the known world used his remedies for healing the sick.
Pliny the Elder (A.D. 23-79) , who perished during the eruption of Vesuvius which destroyed Pompeii, and his nephew , known as Pliny the younger (A.D.62c-113), were Roman historians who left detailed records of life in their times, including many treatises on herbs; however , it is thought that the elder Pliny was the author of the works on herbs. He is still quoted today in herbal encyclopedias.
