THYME

Thymus vulgaris

GENERAL INFORMATION

Thyme is an aromatic shrub found in South Europe, in Asian regions, and it is also cultivated in America.

5.500 years ago Soumerians, were the first as far as we know, to use thyme as a spice and a remedy too, while Egyptians called it tham and used it in embalming the dead.  Etymologically thyme or thymos , as it was called by the ancient Greeks, originates from  «thyo», which initially meant  emitting  smokes and later  « θυσιάζω», that is thysiazo, “sacrifice”. From the same root comes the words incense and incensing (in Greek language: «θυμίαμα»thymiama,»θυμιατίζω» thymiatizo), while it also seems to be strongly related to the word anger (in Greek «θυμός» thymos). And “thymos” for ancient Greeks did not mean rage, but the vital force, such as will, which is confirmed by words such as  “λιπόθυμος, εύθυμος, πρόθυμος”  etc. (lipothymos which means fainted, eythymos which means happy  and prothymos meaning willing etc.). According  Plato, furthermore, “thymos” consists one of the souls’ three parts, the driving force of bravery.
Already since Homer’s times, thyme or, to be more accurate, the numerous species of thyme thriving in our country,  except for flavoring  foodstuffs  for various dishes   represented a symbol of power and  bravery.
Thyme is dedicated  to the goddess of love Aphrodite and nobody  doubted that it seduces or encourages desire.

Roman soldiers bathed in scented water  with thyme to gain vigor and energy.

 

INDICATIONS – USE

Useful parts are the blooming tops.

It has been used as a stimulus, valuable both for body and mind depression  (weakness), anxiety, neurasthenia, depression as well as migraine.

It  is believed that  enhances mental clarity and tones nerves.

It posses antiseptic and antibacterial capacities and therefore it is used in medicines and cosmetics.