The plant’s exact identity is unknown to this day, since it went extinct in Roman times. It was a major cash crop of Cyrene, Libya, and even depicted on coins. It was used as seasoning, perfume, aphrodisiac, contraceptive and abortifacient. The last specimen was supposedly given to Emperor Nero.
They used it all…
To the point it went extinct.
It wasn’t something people grew it was a wild plant. Started out common and all over the place, but Everytime someone saw it, they picked it
It was also very valuable. The Roman government had restrictions on its harvest but there was a huge black market. The wealthy put fences around where it was growing but the fences were torn down by the public. It can’t be grown artificially so the only way get it is though finding it in the wild. The public ultimately harvested it until there was nothing left.