Basil, the King

Basil, the King

Basil's historical origins can be traced to its native distribution across the extensive Asian region, spanning from India to South China in a west-to-east direction, encompassing areas such as Bangladesh, Nepal, the Himalayas, and Taiwan, as well as extending from Myanmar to Queensland and Western Australia in a north-to-south trajectory, including Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines, among others. None of this initially inclined basil to become the significant Mediterranean plant it is today.

The designation of one of its species (basilicum), conventionally understood as derived from the Greek term basilikon, which pertains to an unspecified ruler, appears to offer a foundation for exploring a Mediterranean history that extends back to Antiquity. Nonetheless, a systematic examination of the earliest pertinent written records—the compendium of medical texts ascribed to, but not authored by, Hippocrates (460–between 375 and 350 BCE)—fails to provide any information, even when utilizing the most sophisticated computer-assisted research tools. This likely explains why certain historiography asserts that basil was absent from the Hippocratic Collection, despite its subsequent acknowledgment.

Exploring an alternative route—the catalogues of plant nomenclature assembled in the ancient Greek realm from Antiquity to Byzantium—we ascertain that basilikon is, in fact, synonymous with another term: ôkimon. Prior to examining whether this phrase aids in uncovering the history of basil, it is noteworthy that it was the designation employed by Carl von Linnaeus (1707-1778) in Genera plantarum (5th ed., 1754) to classify the genus encompassing basil: Ocimum (Genera plantarum: 259, no. 651). One of the species is basilicum, indicating that Linnaeus was well-versed in classical knowledge. Therefore, the species examined in this study is Ocimum basilicum L.

Utilizing the newly identified term ôkimon, we find its presence in the botanical literature of Antiquity, namely in the Historia Plantarum (Inquiry into Plants) by Theophrastus, the Father of Botany (371/0-287/6 BCE). The plant referred to by this phrase is not detailed in a separate monograph, but rather in several sections throughout the treatise concerning the methods of characterizing and categorizing the numerous components that constitute a plant. The most crucial factor for accurate identification may be the flower's description, which blooms multiple times annually, from the base to the apex, with the seeds positioned at the top. Ôkimon is regarded as one of the plants with the largest seed production. The allusion to the proliferation from seeds multiple times throughout the year, together with the rapid germination and growth, is especially noteworthy.

The final aspect of characterization may be more intriguing than it appears, as it could offer insight into the phytonym ôkimon, which remains unexplained in etymological studies, except from its association with the Greek verb ozô, meaning to be fragrant or to emit a sweet aroma. This etymology lacks robust philological proof. Nonetheless, there exists a plant called after this verb ozô: rucola, referred to as euzômon in ancient Greek. It is understood that the term okimon cannot derive from the verb ozô. A minor variant of ôkimon, nearly imperceptible and overlooked, aids in the accurate interpretation of the name: in certain copies of the Hippocratic texts referenced below, ôkimon is rendered as ôkumon. This variation indicates a relation to the Greek word ôkus, signifying rapid or swift. It is the epithet that consistently describes Achilles in the Iliad: the swift runner. Upon discovery, we observe plant nomenclature in the Latin botanical literature that corroborates the connection between ôkimon and ôkus. The Latin name of this plant is ôkinon, and its Greek equivalent is ôkuthroos. Both refer to clover, characterized as a rapidly growing plant (ôkus). This characteristic is not just definitive for clover but also applicable to basil, which readily germinates from seed within a few days.


Having established that the Greek name ôkimon denotes basil, we can revisit the Hippocratic Collection, where it appears in four treatises.

  • Women’s Diseases, dating toward mid-5th century BCE (Book I, chapter 93);
  • Internal Affections, of the decade 400-390 BCE (chapter 12);
  • Affections, of the years 380s BCE (chapter 43);
  • Regimen, dating to the turn of the 5th and 4th centuries BCE (Book II, chapter 54).

Basil is utilized in the initial three instances to influence the gastrointestinal system, to mitigate vomiting (Women's Diseases) or to induce purgation (Internal Affections and Affections). Its function is articulated in a more abstract, theoretical manner in Regimen. It is classified as a vegetable and attributed with the characteristics of being dry, hot, and astringent. The latter reflects the antiemetic property as stated in Women's Diseases.

Figure: Basil as represented in manuscript of London, British Library, Sloane 4016, f. 68 verso, Tractatus de herbis, with its typical flower.


Ref.: AHPA, American Herbal Products Association. Available at: https://www.ahpa.org/herbs_in_history_basil

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