Ancient Rome and Greece believed that the body had four humors that needed to be kept in balance so the body would be healthy and functioning. This greatly influenced centuries of western medicine in later time periods such as the Middle Ages.

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Galen was a Roman physician and a prominent writer on Roman medicine.

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Types of Food

Romans often used wine in medicine. Herbs such as Artemisia abrotanum would be infused in wine to repel poison and intestinal worms.

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Silphium was an extremely valuable herb that was used as a contraceptive, to heal injuries in the skin and for a diverse range of common health problems. It was eventually hunted to extinction.

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Garlic was used to help the body maintain strength and endurance, for gastrointestinal tract disorders, and treatment of animal bites.

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Cinnamon was used to treat inflammation, poisonous bites, and menstrual disorders, symptoms of the common cold or flu, as well as other respiratory infections and also used as cough medicine. Cinnamon was very expensive because it was unable to grow in the vast expanses of the Roman Empire. Rome imported all its cinnamon from India.

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Barley was a common cereal. It was used for anti-inflammatory purposes, such as osteoarthritis, gastric ulcers and other inflammatory diseases. It was also used in cases of pancreatic and biliary ailments and other digestive problems and in infections of the intestinal mucous membrane and urinary tract.

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Rosemary was used as a culinary and medicinal herb. It was considered to be good for heart problems.

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Blackberry was useful for gout. Blackberry leaves and bark were used to treat diarrhea. The leaf could help against bleeding gums. They were useful in treating war wounds. Ground leaves could also be used against the pain of ulcers and scars.

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Pomegranate roots were cooked and used as a cure for worms. The skin was used for intestinal problems.

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Cabbage was used as medicine, not as food, for a number of centuries. It was used as a hangover remedy and a cure for wounds and sores.

Fennel: This plant was a standard treatment for nervous disorders because the Romans believed that it calmed the nerves and benefited mental health.

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The above are the common uses of food as medicine in ancient Rome.