The 40 ancient herbs presented here were all important for culinary, medicinal and cult purposes in classical antiquity. They include olive and pomegranate, myrtle and rose, coriander and marjoram, garlic and thyme. In the introduction, the author draws on her extensive knowledge of ancient practices to paint an intriguing image of the many and varied uses of and myths about plants from Greek and particularly Roman kitchen gardens. Quotes from classical authors testify to ancient practices, some curious, some still standard today.

The delightful illustrations reproduce drawings from early 19th-century botanical publications, which often show the plants at various stages of growth, from seeds through to ripe fruits.