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EVOO in Ancient Greece: much more than a foodstuff
In Ancient Greece, olive oil was not only a basic ingredient in the kitchen, but a true symbol of wealth and prosperity. Its value went far beyond food: it was used in religious rituals, in body care and, most surprisingly, as a bargaining chip in trade.
Amphorae filled with this "liquid gold" travelled around the Mediterranean, connecting the Greeks with peoples such as the Phoenicians and Egyptians. In the markets of Athens or in the ports of Crete, olive oil was traded for precious metals, exotic spices and fine fabrics.
But not just any oil had this status. The most highly prized was that produced in the sacred olive groves of Athens, known as "Panathenaic Oil". This was not only a prize for the winners of the Panathenaic Games, but also one of the most prized commodities on the trade routes of the time.
Wikipedia
"Panathenaic oil", a real elixir
The Panathenaean Games or Panathenaic Games was one of the most important sporting competitions in Athens in honour of the goddess Athena, the "patron saint" of the city and whose meaning would be something like "of all Athenians". It was also a much-anticipated annual cultural and festive event and every four years the Great Panathenaean Games were held, a competition on a par with the Olympic Games or the Panhellenic Games.
Panathenaic Oil was a very high quality olive oil produced in Ancient Greece and was given as a prize to the winners of the Panathenaic Games. This oil had great symbolic and economic value, as it came from the city's sacred olive trees ("morias") and was stored in amphorae decorated with scenes from the games. Olive oil, in general, had a fundamental role not only as a trophy, but also as an amulet for athletes, a sunscreen and a performance enhancer.
How was Panathenaic oil obtained?
As we have already mentioned, this oil came from the "morias", olive trees which, according to mythology, were a gift from the goddess Athena to the Athenians. These olive trees were protected by the state and any damage to them was severely punished. As the philosopher Plutarch recounts in “Parallel Lives”, “cutting or damaging an olive tree in Athens was considered a crime against the goddess herself, for from its fruit was obtained the oil that honoured champions”.
Harvesting and extraction process
The olives were harvested with special care, as it was considered a sacred oil (for us it would be a premium oil). The least aggressive methods were reserved for the harvesting of these olives, in order to protect the fruit and the subsequent oil as much as possible.
Cold pressing
The olives were cold pressed to obtain a pure oil of the highest quality. It was stored in large amphorae called "Panathenaic Amphorae", which were decorated with the image of Athena on one side and scenes of the competitions on the other.
Use and distribution
Panathenaic oil not only had ceremonial value, but was also highly prized in trade. The winners of the Panathenaic Games received several amphorae full of this oil, which was equivalent to a large fortune. Some used it personally, while others sold it to merchants, who distributed it throughout the Mediterranean.
Author: Arturo Ruiz Taboada. Detail of side A of the Vulci amphora. Scene of olive plucking and harvesting. Painter of Antímenes. Vulci (Viterbo, Italia). S. VI a. C. British Museum B, 226.
Medicine and healing element
Hippocrates of Cos is considered the father of medicine and, in turn, considered olive oil an essential element for health and used it for multiple therapeutic purposes. In his writings, he mentions more than 60 medicinal uses of olive oil, which demonstrates its importance in Ancient Greek medicine. In fact, he is credited with the phrase "let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food". In this way he conveyed the idea that the two aspects are not independent but closely related.
Medicinal uses include:
Treatment of burns, wounds and skin diseases, applying it directly to the skin to accelerate healing.
Digestive problems. It was used as a natural laxative and to relieve gastric problems.
Muscular and rheumatic pains
Respiratory diseases. Mixed with honey and herbs, it was used to treat respiratory problems, such as coughs and sore throats.
Use in gynaecology and childbirth. It was used to relieve pain in pregnant women and to facilitate childbirth.
Mythological and religious attributions to the effects of olive oil
In Ancient Greece, mythology and religion were deeply intertwined with medicine, and olive oil, being a divine gift, was not only a physical remedy but also a symbol of protection and spiritual healing.
According to myth, the goddess Athena offered the Athenians a sacred olive tree as a symbol of wisdom, protection and health. This tree, born from the earth by divine will, had healing properties, which explained its use in medicine. The ancient Greeks believed that the oil extracted from its fruit contained the essence of the goddess, and to apply it to the body was to receive her blessing.
On the other hand, Asclepius, the god of medicine, taught mortals to use plants, ointments and sacred oils to heal diseases. His priests, the Asclepiades, used olive oil in temples dedicated to him, called asclepeions, where the sick spent the night waiting to receive visions of healing from the god. They would anoint themselves with oil as part of the healing ritual.
Oil was also used in sacred lamps inside temples and in sacrifices to the gods. It was believed that the light of the oil represented divine energy, and that lighting a lamp with consecrated oil invoked the protection and health of the gods.
Did you like this post and are you interested in the history of extra virgin olive oil? Let us know, we will continue writing and researching on the subject. What would be our Panatenaic oil today? We have no doubt: our iOliva!
