Aromatherapy in Ancient Greece and Rome

Greek and Roman Aromatic Heritage

Ancient Greece and Rome built upon Egyptian knowledge, integrating aromatic plants into their medical and cultural practices.

Key Figures

Hippocrates (460-370 BCE)

The “Father of Medicine” documented the medicinal use of over 300 plants and famously stated that an aromatic bath and scented massage every day was the path to good health.

Dioscorides (40-90 CE)

Greek physician who wrote De Materia Medica, describing approximately 600 plants and their medicinal uses. This text remained the primary pharmacological reference for over 1,500 years.

Galen (129-216 CE)

Roman physician who developed complex herbal preparations (“galenicals”) that combined multiple aromatic plants for therapeutic purposes.

Daily Use

Romans used aromatic oils extensively: in the bathhouses (thermae), for massage, in perfumery, and in religious rituals. Rose, lavender, and myrtle were especially prized.