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Devac  ·  791 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: This miracle plant was eaten into extinction 2,000 years ago—or was it?

I'm not sure about that 3500BC, but it was certainly widely known and treasured. Here's a fun quote:

Pisthetærus

Hand me the cheese-grater; bring me the silphium for sauce; pass me the cheese and watch the coals.

Heracles

Mortal! we who greet you are three gods.

Pisthetærus

Wait a bit till I have prepared my silphium pickle.

From Birds by Aristophanes