Today we explore the timeless wisdom of nature’s most trusted healers. Across centuries and cultures—from the gardens of Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, classical Empires of Greece and Rome, to Medieval Cloisters—medicinal plants have been used to restore balance, support wellbeing, and reconnect us with the rhythms of the natural world.

 

 

The Greek physician Dioscorides, who lived around 40–90 AD, is still called “the father of pharmacognosy.” His most famous work was called ‘De materia medica’, and it is a 5-volume Greek Encyclopedia on herbal medicines. This book was the standard go-to herbal bible for most of the Middle Ages and formed part of our medical understanding of plants until today.

A few hundred years before Dioscorides wrote his groundbreaking work, there lived Agnodice, a legendary figure, said to be the first female physician in ancient Athens. Her story was kept alive by the Roman author Gaius Julius Hyginus.

According to Hyginus, Agnodice studied medicine under the famous physician Herophilus. Because Athenian laws prohibited women from practicing medicine, Agnodice disguised herself as a man to work as a physician. As her popularity grew among female patients, rival male physicians accused her of seducing her clients. During her trial, she revealed her identity by lifting her tunic, proving she was a woman. Although accused of illegally practicing medicine, Agnodice was defended by the women of Athens, who praised her skill and dedication as a physician and midwife. She was ultimately acquitted, and the law prohibiting female physicians was revoked.

The Romans employed many Greek scholars and doctors, and therefore the Greek legacy continued in Rome.

Herbs of the Ancient Greeks & Romans

The Ancient Greeks and Romans developed some of the earliest systematic approaches to herbal medicine. Physicians, philosophers, and military doctors documented plant remedies that were used in daily life, healing temples, and battlefield care.

• Oregano – Used for digestive complaints, infections, and general vitality. The Greeks believed it symbolised joy and health.
• Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis) – Sacred to Apollo, used for purification, headaches, and respiratory support.
• Fennel – Valued for digestion, eyesight, and increasing strength; Roman soldiers reportedly ate fennel to stay fit.
• Sage – Considered a longevity herb, used for sore throats, memory, and cleansing rituals.
• Mint – Used to soothe digestion and freshen breath; often added to Roman banquets.
• Garlic – A powerful tonic for strength, endurance, and protection against illness.
• Rosemary – Associated with memory and mental clarity, often used in baths and ceremonial garlands.

Herbs of Ancient Babylon (Mesopotamia)

In Ancient Babylon, herbal medicine was closely tied to spiritual practice, astrology, and early medical texts written on clay tablets. Healing was often performed by priest-physicians who combined plant remedies with ritual and prayer.

 Key Babylonian herbs included:

• Myrrh – Used for wound healing, purification, and embalming rituals.
• Cedar (Cedrus libani) – Burned for cleansing spaces and used in medicinal oils.
• Licorice root – Valued for soothing coughs, inflammation, and digestive issues.
• Coriander – Used for digestion, detoxification, and flavouring medicinal preparations.
• Tamarisk – Employed in treatments for skin conditions and fever.
• Date palm – Used for energy, nourishment, and restorative tonics.

Babylonian healers believed that plants carried both physical and spiritual properties, and many remedies were prepared in alignment with lunar and planetary cycles. Here is an article that explains more about life in Ancient Babylon.  

 Ancient Herbal Recipes

Here are a few simple reconstructions inspired by historical herbal traditions:

Roman Digestive Tea

Ingredients:

• Mint leaves
• Fennel seeds
• Honey
• Hot water

Method:
Steep mint and fennel in hot water for 10 minutes. Strain and sweeten with honey. Traditionally used after heavy meals to support digestion.

 Greek Memory Infusion

Ingredients:

• Rosemary sprigs
• Bay leaf
• Hot water

Method
Infuse herbs for 5–7 minutes. Drink warm while studying or working. Believed to support focus and mental clarity.

Babylonian Cleansing Oil

Ingredients:

• Myrrh resin
• Cedar oil (or cedar-infused oil)
• Olive oil

Method:
Gently warm oils together and allow to infuse. Used historically for skin cleansing, ritual purification, and wound care.

Soothing Liquorice Decoction (Mesopotamian-inspired)

Ingredients:

• Liquorice root
• Water
• Optional: date syrup

Method:
Simmer liquorice root in water for 15–20 minutes. Strain and sweeten lightly. Traditionally used to soothe the throat and support digestion.

Featured Herbs

Here are five powerful herbs that have long been valued in traditional herbal medicine:

• Lavender – Used across both Greek and Roman cultures for relaxation, bathing rituals, and emotional balance.
• Rosemary – Revered for memory and protection in Mediterranean traditions.
• Thyme – Used for respiratory cleansing and purification in ancient households.
• Calendula – A healing flower used historically for skin wounds and inflammation.
• Chamomile – A calming herb found in both Egyptian and Greco-Roman medicine for sleep and digestion.

These herbs were frequently recommended by ancient physicians and herbalists, including Hippocrates, who believed that nature itself offers many of the remedies needed to maintain health and harmony.

Bringing Herbal Wisdom Into Your Daily Life

Today we are still surrounded by all these wonderful healers. You may have an elderflower bush in your garden or dandelion growing in your lawn. But very few people make use of these wonderful healers today, because they have never been shown how easy and potent these plants really are.

Let’s take, for example, dandelion:

This is a plant you most likely recognise, and many gardeners just see it as a weed growing in their lawn.

But it is full of potent ingredients, and it needs someone to know what and when to collect. You can gather the root, the leaves or the blossom, but the vital ingredients will change according to season.

Dandelion: From Root to Blossom

Often dismissed as a common garden weed, the dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is one of our most generous and versatile herbs. Its familiar name comes from the French dent de lion—“lion’s tooth”—describing the deeply serrated shape of its leaves. The Latin name Taraxacum derives from the Arabic tarakhshaqun, meaning “bitter herb”.

For centuries, dandelion has been valued as both food and traditional medicine. Its leaves, flower buds, golden blossoms and long taproot are all edible, but each part has its own season, flavour and purpose. Dandelion contains a variety of naturally occurring plant compounds, including flavonoids, carotenoids, phenolic acids, bitter sesquiterpene lactones and phytosterols. The root is also particularly rich in the prebiotic fibre inulin.

Dandelion Leaves

Young dandelion leaves are at their most tender in early spring, before the plant begins to flower. At this stage, they have a pleasantly bitter, slightly peppery flavour. As the season progresses, the leaves become larger and more bitter, although they can still be cooked like spinach.

The leaves contain:

• Beta-carotene, which the body can convert into vitamin A
• Vitamin K
• Flavonoids and other polyphenols
• Chlorophyll and carotenoids
• Potassium and smaller quantities of other minerals
• Bitter compounds traditionally associated with digestion

Dandelion leaves have traditionally been eaten as a spring tonic after the heavier foods of winter. They have also been used in European herbal medicine to support digestion and urinary function. However, traditional use should not be confused with proof that dandelion can treat a medical condition.

When to gather: Harvest young leaves from early to mid-spring, ideally before flowering. Pick them in the morning after the dew has dried. Any moon phase is good and use fresh for salads or dry them to make herbal tea leaves.

What to make:

• Add young leaves to a mixed salad.
• Blend them with parsley, basil, nuts, olive oil and lemon to make dandelion pesto.
• Stir older leaves into soups, omelettes or pasta dishes.
• Sauté them gently with olive oil and garlic.
• Infuse them with apple cider vinegar to create a bitter herbal vinegar.

If you find the flavour too bitter, soak the leaves briefly in cold salted water or blanch them for a minute before cooking.

Dandelion Flower Buds

The tightly closed buds appear in spring, nestled close to the centre of the leaf rosette. They have a slightly bitter, earthy flavour and can be steamed, sautéed or pickled.

When to gather: Pick firm, unopened buds in spring, before their stems lengthen.

What to make:

• Sauté the buds in butter or olive oil.
• Add them to vegetable dishes and omelettes.
• Pickle them in vinegar and use them as a local alternative to capers.

Dandelion Blossoms

Each golden dandelion “flower” is actually a flower head composed of many tiny florets. The blossoms contain yellow carotenoid pigments and flavonoids, as well as aromatic and phenolic compounds currently being studied for their antioxidant properties.

The green base beneath the petals can taste bitter, so it is often removed when the flowers are used in sweet recipes.

When to gather: Pick fully open flowers on a dry, sunny day, once the dew has disappeared. Use them soon after gathering, as the flowers close and wilt quite quickly.

What to make:

• Scatter the yellow petals over salads, cakes or desserts.
• Infuse them in hot water for a mild herbal tea.
• Make dandelion cordial, syrup or traditional dandelion wine.
• Add the petals to biscuits, pancakes or homemade bread.
• Infuse the flowers in oil for use in handmade soaps or skincare preparations.
• Dip whole flower heads in a light batter and cook them as fritters.

Simple Dandelion Flower Syrup

Ingredients:

• 2 loosely packed cups of clean dandelion flower heads
• 500 ml water
• 300–400 g sugar, according to taste
• Juice and finely pared zest of one unwaxed lemon

Method:

1. Gently shake the flowers outdoors so any small insects can escape.
2. Remove most of the green base if you would like a less bitter syrup.
3. Place the petals in a saucepan with the water and lemon zest.
4. Bring just to the boil, remove from the heat and leave to infuse for several hours or overnight.
5. Strain through a fine cloth.
6. Return the liquid to the pan, add the sugar and lemon juice, and simmer gently until slightly syrupy.
7. Pour into a sterilised bottle and keep refrigerated.

Use it as a cordial, drizzle it over yoghurt or add a spoonful to sparkling water. This is a syrup rather than “dandelion honey”: real honey is produced only by bees.

Dandelion Root

Beneath the rosette lies a deep taproot that stores nourishment for the plant. Dandelion root contains inulin, a soluble prebiotic fibre, together with bitter sesquiterpene lactones, phenolic acids, triterpenes and plant sterols. Its composition changes through the seasons.

Roots are usually harvested in autumn, after the leaves begin to die back and the plant’s reserves have returned underground. Autumn roots tend to contain more stored carbohydrate and are well suited to roasting. Some herbal traditions also gather roots in early spring, before flowering, when their character is considered more bitter. Waning Moon is the best time to harvest roots.

Choose established plants with substantial taproots. Loosen the surrounding soil with a garden fork and lift the root carefully, as it can extend surprisingly far underground

When to gather: The active ingredients in the dandelion root change over the year.

• In spring, (Middle March to the end of April), the root contains more soluble sugars and laevulin and presents as a milky substance that is good as a tonic, especially for the blood and the gallbladder. 
• During autumn, more of its stored carbohydrate is present as inulin, a soluble prebiotic fibre that nourishes beneficial intestinal bacteria. Its concentration generally increases towards autumn.

What to make:

• Dry and roast the chopped root for a caffeine-free coffee-style drink.
• Add small pieces of cleaned root to soups and vegetable stews.
• Simmer dried root to make a traditional bitter decoction.
• Combine roasted dandelion root with chicory, cinnamon, or barley for a richer drink.

Roasted Dandelion-Root Drink

1. Scrub the roots thoroughly and cut them into small, even pieces.
2. Leave them to dry completely.
3. Roast on a baking tray at approximately 160°C until dark brown and aromatic, turning them regularly so they do not burn.
4. Grind or crush the roasted pieces.
5. Simmer one to two teaspoons per cup of water for approximately ten minutes, then strain.

The result is dark, earthy, and pleasantly bitter. Although commonly called “dandelion coffee”, it contains no coffee and is naturally caffeine-free. People used roasted dandelion root as a coffee substitute during periods of scarcity, including wartime rationing.

Gathering Dandelion With Care

Only gather plants that you can identify with complete confidence. Choose places that have not been treated with weedkiller or other chemicals, and avoid busy roadsides, contaminated ground, and areas frequently visited by dogs.

Wash every part carefully before use. Harvest only what you need and leave plenty of blossoms for bees and other pollinators. Dandelions provide a valuable food source for insects, particularly early and late in the flowering season.

Traditionally, leaves and flowers were gathered while the Moon was waxing and roots during the waning Moon, when the plant’s energy was believed to retreat below the soil. This is a beautiful way to bring intention and rhythm into harvesting. If you want to dry leaves or roots, only dry them in the shade and never in direct sunlight to keep the potency.

A Note on Safe Use

Dandelion is widely eaten as food, but concentrated herbal preparations are not suitable for everyone. Seek professional advice before using medicinal amounts if you:

• have gallstones, a blocked bile duct or another gallbladder or liver condition;
• have a heart or kidney condition that requires restricted fluid intake;
• are pregnant or breastfeeding;
• take prescription medicines, particularly diuretics or medicines affected by fluid balance; or
• are allergic to plants in the daisy family, such as chamomile, ragweed or chrysanthemums.

Dandelion should be enjoyed as a nourishing seasonal food, not used as a replacement for medical diagnosis or treatment. European regulators recognise certain dandelion-root preparations only based on traditional use and note that clinical evidence remains limited. It would be good to spend more time on effort on research in this field.

How to find the symbols on the calendar

Follow the herbs symbol on the LWTM Lifestyle Calendar to discover the traditional lunar days for gathering leaves, blossoms and roots.

We invite you to explore simple and meaningful ways to incorporate these plants into your everyday routine. From soothing herbal teas and natural skincare rituals to homemade remedies and mindful harvesting practices aligned with the lunar cycle, these traditions offer a gentle return to nature-based wellbeing.

In summer/early autumn, many herbs reach their peak. So now is a good time to take a moment to reconnect with the ancient apothecary within your own garden, kitchen, or local landscape. Let the healing presence of these herbs guide you toward a more grounded, nourished, and intentional seasonal rhythm.

Here is an article that introduces you to

planting, gathering, and using herbs

Follow the ‘herbs’ symbol on the LWTM Lifestyle Calendar to find out the best times to plant, use, and dry herbs.