Silphium: The Miracle Herb That Disappeared Forever

[@CogitoEdu]

Get Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: go.nebula.tv/cogito Watch Modern Conflicts exclusively on Nebula: nebula.tv/modernconflicts?ref=cogito

[@suzbone]

4:04 FRANCE?!?!!? *dryheave* 😂😂😂😂

[@-beee-]

Q for you: I'm a Nebula subscriber, but I still find myself on KZbin a lot. Does it help or harm you if I watch your videos here instead of there? Do your view counts on Nebula impact things a bunch? Maybe not something you can respond about in the comments, but really appreciate your work and want to continue to support you!

[@beepboop204]

🙃🙃🙃🙃🙂

[@philosotree5876]

0:34 Um, mammoths?

[@CogitoEdu]

​@@philosotree5876 I qualify later on that's it's in written history. As in the first species human document that they've eradicated

[@chagrined4days]

I can't get over the dude who wrote about hemorrhoids being named "Soranus"...

[@paperxplane1]

i wish the name was an epithet

[@juanmansego6267]

The original butthurt

[@MogofWar]

He was clearly a player character during that period of the simulation.

[@ForageGardener]

Pupienus and Lekapenos have entered the chat

[@zanderzephyrlistens]

​@@ForageGardener you murdered me

[@neddreadmaynard]

I think it's easier to list the things that AREN'T considered aphrodisiacs. If you've got something to sell, tell someone it will give them the Wood of Zeus.

[@long-hair-dont-care88.]

Histories most favorite serial rapist.

[@MarcUyghur]

The lightning bolt

[@brianhenry7348]

I'm so glad "Wood of Zeus" wasn't one of the magical qualities granted Capt. Marvel/Shazam!

[@timothytumusiime2903]

​@@brianhenry7348 Fanfic material 😏

[@theathenianorator7964]

I remember researching about Cyrene and how it became rich and prosperous via the Trade of silphium, although none of my sources were really clear on what silphium was so I always wondered. Great to know about its... varied use!

[@A.Severan]

According to the records, it wasn’t just a birth control plant for women, it was also an aphrodisiac for men. An all around wonder drug. Thanks for making this video. Cheers from Libya!

[@smith2354]

A horny drug which also prevents babies!? Really disappointed we can't have good things like this.

[@sam5992]

@@smith2354 It was just claims. There's no reason to believe that the claims were true. Many of these claims came from Nero, a known bullshitter. He said that Silphium could cure many diseases, too. It was just the Roman times' snake oil.

[@yoeyyoey8937]

Knowing you won’t get someone pregnant is arousing enough 👍

[@sam5992]

@@yoeyyoey8937 haha, someone didn't watch the video

[@yoeyyoey8937]

@@sam5992 it was a joke

[@gleedads]

Asafoetida is used quite a bit in Indian cooking. I agree that when it is raw it has an odour that is not very pleasant (I think it is a bit like cat pee!). But its character changes entirely when it is cooked, and it is extremely yummy then. I've never been brave enough to try it raw like you do. But try it cooked in something and I think you'll agree that it is delicious.

[@CogitoEdu]

When cooked it was delicious. Raw it does smell a little like cat pee or skunk

[@swagatochatterjee7104]

Lol yes, I remember sneaking into the kitchen, as a child, to taste that thing raw. I wondered how can something which tastes so shit raw, gives such a brilliant fragrance when cooked.

[@MegaGun2000]

​@@CogitoEdu the best part is that the paper on the rat pregnancy that you cited was written by a bunch of Indian people, so now I can't get the image of them looking at their spice cabinets and deciding to come up with an experiment lol

[@nabeelmohammedca]

Asafoetida is a key ingredient in the Indian vegetable stew called sambar.

[@sojoboscribe1342]

Another reason it is used a lot is that, unlike onions or garlic, asafetida IS a permitted flavoring in orthodox Brahmin cooking.

[@titojwonnie]

It tickles me to think of your brain being like, “Ah the sheep animation is done. Now for the poop animation. Love your creativity and passion for learning and teaching! 😄👍

[@CogitoEdu]

Poop animation day was one of the highlights of this video's production 😁

[@slwrabbits]

I could watch those sheep poop for several minutes straight ... absolutely the best visual of the video. I mean, also, amazing research!

[@carlramirez6339]

This was the most uplifting thing I've encountered this year - that Silphium might not be extinct after all.

[@ComradeScrungus]

soranus was an expert in hemorrhoid treatment... i bet he was

[@-beee-]

Wow, this definitely challenged a lot of what I'd heard from other sources, even ones I would have thought I could trust. Thanks for providing these alternate sources and context.

[@CogitoEdu]

Yeah we went into this video thinking we were going to make something completely different and than we found all this information. It was incredible

[@caesumcrimson6381]

Another amazing video! You're quickly becoming probably the gold standard from me amongst all the current youtube videos in terms of A) reliable quality videos, b) interesting topics, c) well thought out scripts and impressive research. Keep it up cogito, I know everytime I click that link I'll go on a great journey.

[@sizanogreen9900]

Romans *COOKED WITH LASERS!* Not what I was expecting to learn but I leave thoroughly satisfied nonetheless.

[@CogitoEdu]

Learning the real lessons

[@RestingJudge]

On midwives, I attended a seminar on the history of them in my southern state. Largely, they weren't phased out until the early 20th century and mostly by claims of it being unhealthy, primitive, etc. Of course mortality in childbirth skyrocketed once they were gone, and it didn't stop until the late 60s.

[@edwardmiessner6502]

@Rose Madrid And what does this have to do with Rustin Wilson's comment? If you want to evsngelise set up your own channel!

[@XMoeiskingX]

just a movement by the government to remove the ability to have children away from the masses without government intervention.

[@mylesjude233]

This video is really informative and the animation is on point. Hope you focus on something like the History of Silk/Cotton or Porcelain in a future video 🎉❤

[@stefanschleps8758]

Or Cannabis and Jute, and why we make clothes out of cotton and not hemp. Peace.

[@mylesjude233]

@@stefanschleps8758 The cannabis one sounds cool, though I'm unfamiliar with Jute. Mind enlightening on some of the uses/value of jute.

[@caesumcrimson6381]

All of these are great video ideas. I hope he does a similar focus like with how he did coffee, tea and beer.

[@mylesjude233]

@caesumcrimson6381 Glad you like the proposed ideas. Any suggestions you think would be cool.

[@gustavovillegas5909]

This style of video was really fun! Great work as always :)

[@CogitoEdu]

Thank you, glad you liked it!

[@zeusathena26]

I recently heard an expert claim they think they have found silphium growing in the region. It may not have been completely eradicated. I hope so, so that medical scientist can research it. If it really has any benefits they may be able to create a new medicine!

[@twincast2005]

If it was a hybrid species, what are the chances the parent species are still around (say, one to the east, one to the west of its ancestral home), ready to get crossed again?

[@ArkadiBolschek]

You're supposed to use asafoetida in _very_ small quantities together with other ingredients for sauces and curries. I don't think anyone actually _eats_ it.

[@CogitoEdu]

Only an idiot would eat an entire piece of asafoetida. Grated into food while cooking it's delicious.

[@Le_Mer]

Can't believe I've never seen this channel before. Awesome vid!

[@VA-zr6xw]

I have to applaud your commitment. To actually taste that stuff after the smell put that look on your face was braver than I could be. Bravo!

[@PackOfWolves]

When he ate the asafoetida, it was like eating a chunk of rock salt XD It's gotta be grated, fried, then allowed to dissolve into the dish!

[@aliud9904]

Fascinating! And taught me more about how history is learned generally. Amazing as always

[@athoughtortwo]

You’re not supposed to eat it plain, silly! 😂😜 Asafoetida, or hing, is a flavor enhancer, imparting a delicious umami type flavor used in a lot of Indian dishes in place of, or in addition to, onion. My dal would be very very sad without it 😢 Thank you for another fascinating and informative video mixed with just the right amount of humor!

[@AchyutChaudhary]

Love the frequent videos Cogito!! Keep it up 👍👍

[@StefanMilo]

2:33 I need some silphium badly!

[@mushmush4980]

Remember to turn on captions at 13:15

[@chunkychew6995]

Lmaoo

[@pattheplanter]

Silphion may not have been less funky than asa-foetida, the Romans loved funky food. The word silphe (σίλφη) meant cockroach in ancient Greek. Although that could have referred to the shape of the seeds rather than the smell. That Turkish plant _Ferula drudeana_ looks nothing like the representations on the coins (to a botanist), which are the only thing we have to judge it by. Great way to promote his journal article, though. There are 221 species of Ferula, let alone the related genera, and most smell either nice or nasty. There is another plant in the family (that has 446 genera) that does have heart-shaped seeds, _Heracleum sphondylium_ - the common hogweed. Edible and tasty, unlike the dangerous giant hogweed. 90 species in that genus. Anyway, good video, I have subscribed.

[@stephencuffel4932]

Thanks for transliterating directly from the Greek instead of using the Latin form.

[@Lou.B]

This is one of the very best I've seen on YT on ANY subject, and is THE BEST treatment on Silphium that I've ever seen! Well Done!

[@FUNKnnFLY]

The person at 15:48 joining in pooping had me laughing a lot.

[@mimicbox3]

I love this channel so much

[@ExhaustinglyBored]

It actually bothers me so much that Romans replaced a productive crop w wheat

[@CogitoEdu]

The more you read history the more you end up hating wheat and cows. This is my experience at least.

[@ExhaustinglyBored]

@Rose Madrid who asked

[@CogitoEdu]

cool story, I still don't like wheat and cow

[@Artur_M.]

Awesome video! The truth really is more interesting than the sensationalist oversimplifications. I hope that everyone who clicks on this video will watch it whole.

[@Locut0s]

As usual real history is far more interesting an nuanced than the easy click bait titles many of us want it to be. And sadly the contributions of women have almost entirely been invisible, as men wrote all of it. Thank you again for another amazing video. Long time fan and look forward to all of your work.

[@Mulberrysmile]

It’s more correct to say that women’s contributions have been erased or stolen by men, and that women were brutalized and murdered as witches for daring to step out of bounds. And this does go back farther than the dark ages. Even today, we still have this accepted in some parts of the world, and see men trying to bring women back to subservience in the US.

[@MarioNerbonne]

lol, just want to acknowledge the little extras peppered into the subtitles. Such as when the intro music plays and when the bag of "fetid gum" is sniffed. Good stuff :) Made me chuckle

[@thechosenone5644]

Was reading about this a few months ago and didn’t find very many good sources. Glad you made this!

[@nomadv7860]

I always get excited when I see a new cogito video!

[@EURIPODES]

"How was your day at work honey?" "Horrible. I need to call the dentist. I chipped my tooth on some old birth control drug."

[@otralee]

Such a great video essay. I learned so much

[@CogitoEdu]

Glad you liked it 😊

[@Reeceisinpieces]

Died laughing at those CC's man! 😂😂😂

[@sapientisessevolo4364]

Cogito: Talks about issues causing silphium extinciton like greedy higher ups, ecological damage, people just trying to pay rent forced into an unfortunate feedback loop while the "solution" wasn't about fixing the root problems but fencing off the remnants of sliphium Me: Where have I seen this before...?

[@DeyaViews]

i love the captions during the part where you smell and eat the asofoetida

[@goldiegolderman1842]

4:20 *DAT ONION JUGGLE*

[@aruncops2008]

Side note. As an indian i used to pronounce Hing In english as "asa- fa-teeda". But i much prefer your Irish inflection on the word. I seldom change my pronounciations of my Indianised words but.... So from now on i shall call Asafoetida as "As-a-FUI-t'da" forever. And i thankyou for it @Cogito

[@HisShadow]

It was a cure for baldness and a hair remover? ... Seems legit.

[@CogitoEdu]

Silphium was the king of placebo effects

[@_Solaris]

Somewhat off-topic, but asafetoeda is indispensable for certain dishes; most notably curries and particularly, dhal. In recipes just a pinch will do, but it transforms the dish.

[@Cat-tastrophee]

He mentioned in the corner of the video that he made dhal with it afterward and it was much better when cooked 😅

[@clockworkgreen1363]

I am cracking tf up right now. You are my new fave. Thank you!!

[@CogitoEdu]

Thank you :D

[@MLaserHistory]

"Good Laser flavor"!? I can assure you all I don't taste good. Please don't eat me!

[@CogitoEdu]

That's not what the sources say!

[@texenna]

:0 why so empty here. BTW your content is great keep it up

[@robthesnakeguy4618]

"First victim of human induced extinction" megafauna : 🤨

[@erikdesk2753]

I love all your videos! Educational, interesting, simplified for normal people and witty!! Thank you for the videos and the hard work. Nice to see finally your face :) You are quite the handsome man! Reminds me a bit of Orlando Bloom. :)

[@HouseofSinope]

I can't believe no one pointed out the captions😂😂 love your caption game.

[@IronpenWorldbuilding]

14:00 his face is so red, he seems totally disgusted

[@CogitoEdu]

That was actually a known side effect of the original Silphium. I remember a source saying it made people break out in a red flush when eaten in high quantity. Eating the entire resin was not a good idea, it's the equivalent of eating a spoonful of cinnamon or curry 😅

[@BunkyBunk1]

I don’t know if you’ll read this, but I’d love to see a video on the History of Wine. My family comes from the country that’s the biggest consumers and a big producer (Portugal) and so it’s been impactful to my family. I would just love to see how we’ve gotten to the centers of wine production and consumption of today!

[@stevejohnson3357]

Max Miller on Tasting History mentioned that finding a couple of weeks ago but you gave more detail. BTW there is at least 1 more Roman cookbook De Agricultura by Cato.

[@CartoonCastro]

Can you talk about indigenous canadian cultures? Their very cool

[@mylesjude233]

Sounds like a cool idea. Any particular ones you'd recommend someone to research.

[@CogitoEdu]

The Haudanosaune are coming shortly and other Canadian groups are planned

[@CartoonCastro]

​@mylesjude233 The haudenosaunee have a very interesting history, so do the cree, the metis, and the Salish too

[@_Solaris]

Salish history & culture are interesting.

[@MegaGun2000]

Yes please! Any native culture from North America honestly, there's really interesting and what does not much about them that doesn't have to do with either how they were persecuted or how crappy the living conditions are relative to other people living in North America

[@coal.sparks]

Tenet farmers or tenant farmers? I've never heard of the former and I don't know how it differs from tenant farmers. Also, how are they going to try to determine if that plant they found is silphium's long lost descendant? Like is there some way of testing that they're in the process of doing? And lastly, thank you for taking one for science and trying that resin! It didn't seem very nice!

[@CogitoEdu]

I just spell things wrong 😂 There's so many things to check before the video goes live that some mistakes always slip by

[@coal.sparks]

@@CogitoEdu hats off to you, they're brilliant videos. I just thought that this was some new type of feudal underling I'd never heard of! :D

[@anonimus8375]

I actually kinda like the smell of asafoetida. In my culture, a piece is put into a pouch and put in a baby's bed to prevent spirits from troubling them.

[@oolong2]

I like Asafoetida a lot, I use it all the time. Do you normally bite into a garlic clove or a pepper corn? There aren't many spices that people just start chewing on directly... So it's kind of odd to do that. 😅

[@CogitoEdu]

It was done for humour in all fairness 😅 It's like reviewing cinnamon by eating a spoonful. I've made some dishes using it correctly and it is tasty 😋

[@oolong2]

@@CogitoEdu Maybe it was just odd seeing the non-animated versions of your "humor" 😛 Your videos are amazing though.

[@andriusgimbutas3723]

Sure, I'd get a bite of some garlic right now

[@slwrabbits]

​@@CogitoEdu Well, it worked - it was very funny. As a child, I would taste new spices directly from the jar. So I decided most of them were terrible ...

[@suzbone]

OMG I can't wait to learn more about this famous herb YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

[@suzbone]

Holy hell I'm only six minutes in and I had NO idea there was so much information about where it came from, etc. Thank you so much for this!

[@suzbone]

BEAVER BALLS WITH LITTLE BUCKY TEETH OH LORT HELP MEEEEEEEEE 😅

[@suzbone]

DUDE. All the kudos to you for this. Your rigorous pursuit of documentation, unbiased sources, etc, is soooooo needed in the world. Thanks again! PS: SORANUS

[@CogitoEdu]

​@@suzbone Thank you! And I was so excited that Soranus was kind enough to hand me a joke on a platter like that 😅

[@TannertheJ]

Absolutely brilliant video, I love your perspective.

[@WeyounSix]

Your animations have gotten so cool lol

[@CogitoEdu]

Thank you, I'm constantly trying to improve them 😊

[@nerdwisdomyo9563]

Great video!

[@reign6409]

Very interesting ❤

[@eliscanfield3913]

I love the closed captioning, lol

[@herzogsbuick]

If you don't think onions are sexy, we can't be friends.

[@ragnoxten4158]

Nice that you show your face. Quality content as always.

[@travellingphysicist]

You didn't like the smell of asafoetida??? In India we love the smell. That's one of reasons we use it.

[@CogitoEdu]

I think it's a smell that takes some getting used to. It's tasty though.

[@travellingphysicist]

@@CogitoEdu Good asafoetida that has very strong smell in ven small amounts is very costly. The other reason for sing it is that it's supposed to be good for digestion.

[@Reverse_Cowgirl-cat]

Whenever I get sad about missing out on a plant that's now extinct, I just think about how ancient people had to eat crapier versions of the fruits and veggies we have now.

[@timothygreer188]

Your videos have always been great but your human interaction takes it to the next level and the blooper made it damned funny.

[@hunterfiles7987]

Loved the video.

[@burrito-town]

The sound is too quiet in this video. Need to Google export audio settings for KZbin.

[@CogitoEdu]

Cogito and audio issues, name a better duo

[@MouaffakKoubeisy]

BABY NOT RN NEW COGITO VIDEO JUST DROPPED

[@brianhenry7348]

Nearly choked to death laughing about that date night combo. And very glad the easy target with Soranus does not go un-hit.

[@douglashoover6473]

You have misunderstood the term "farmers of the revenue" in the quote from Pliny. It means "tax farmers", big firms that held the right to collect taxes for the Romans; not people tilling the soil. According to Pliny, the tax farmers somehow held a lease on the land and preferred to graze sheep instead of growing silphium. That suggests that you didn't get all that much silphium when you grew it. Catullus, the most notable Roman love poet (around 50 BCE), talks a lot about silphium in poems addressed to his mistress. That would be a reason for thinking it had some connection to romance, though it is not clear what exactly that was. Thanks for shedding some light on silphium and for discussing the difference between it and asafoetida. For people who like Indian food, in poppadums that have little black spots on them, the spots are asafoetida.

[@Erewhon2024]

Though it could also mean, "honey, I love your spicy food. To show my appreciation, let's spice it up in bed." (If he was naughty. A "nice" guy could just compliment his lover and leave it at that. Anyways, it doesn't require aphrodisiac properties.)

[@bobbygoestoabyss6624]

0:29 😄 This is adorrable!

[@Deliciasdelahumanity]

hey bro do a history of fasting, i love your videos btw

[@MogofWar]

So, silphium was the canary in the coal mine when it came to the soil abuse that eventually led to the Sahara Desert reaching all the way to the Mediterranean coast...

[@rohithjain3196]

Cogito has a face.

[@lochlandean7518]

What is with those captions at 13:40 😂

[@MatthewCaunsfield]

Great to learn the truth behind this legendary plant!

[@christopherwoods5150]

A component hinted at but not mentioned is the black rain likely from the frequent volcanic activity, and ash is good for soil, to bring down the acidity, and add nutrients. I was around for the impacts of Mt St Helens, and farmers had to adjust. If it was ash, then the root systems, poop, and lower acidity were all factors that hindered transplants, even assuming growers were making the attempts with root cuttings.

[@reganlandau]

This was fun. Thanks!

[@CogitoEdu]

Thanks for watching

[@stargatis]

What if I want to step over a beaver on purpose?

[@CogitoEdu]

That's a whole different spell 😅

[@arthur_roman]

Hey man, I would like to make a request: make a video about the religion of Spiritism, which comes from the Spiritist Doctrine of Allan Kardec. I'm sure it will be really cool! In addition, I have to say that I simply love your content and I think the didactic and humorous way in which you pass on information is amazing! Congratulations! ✌🏽❤️

[@ConnieJasperson]

I have to say, the closed captions are hilarious, rounding out the story, lol!

[@brooklynnchick]

I love your videos! I have been interested in medicinal plants and their history for years but learned all sorts of things from you today! Thanks! One use of asfoetida that wasn’t mentioned is as a substitute for onions and garlic, which some people are allergic to. I have to keep mine in a glass jar, in its original packaging in my freezer because it is so pungent that it reflavors everything in my spice cabinet. 😂 I wanted to ask if you had read anything about the Tansy plant family as abortifacients, could it be that silphium was a tansy? They tend to be umbelliferous and act on the body’s venous system.

[@aruncops2008]

Been cooking most of my adult life with Asafoetida in my Indian kitchen and its absolutely delicious flavour indeed. Was surprised by its connection in this video. Felt seen as in indian cook lol. Love your videos man.

[@Nyctophora]

Very interesting, thank you!

[@kakolidas5338]

Hey, Asofetida is used extensively in Indian cooking for a long time as far as the mughal era and has a strong funky,weird smell but adds a nice flavour to food and doesn't taste so horrible as it smells. For conyexyt of funky and weird smelling food you brits have a lot of it and an example of it is stinking bishop's cheese which frankly doen't taste that bad but would rather have cheddar due to it's horrendous stench which will knock you down unconcious if you smell ot for too long, even smell of your socks you have been wearing for a week smells nicer than it.

[@martingomel1611]

It's tenants not tenets! Really good educational video, engaging and entertaining.

[@CogitoEdu]

I'm dyslexic and finishing these videos normally involves multiple 20 hour workdays crunch. Spelling mistakes slip through 😅

[@ms.fravell7606]

the pooping sheep were cute ..

[@NZKiwi87]

As a note, ‘bring on menses / menstruation’ was used as a code phrase for abortion in many cases.

[@CogitoEdu]

Maybe in some cases but the writers here are all pretty blunt. They state when a plant induces abortion and also state when it brings on the menses, sometimes saying both for one plant.

[@abbiekenyon3741]

Please could you make a video explaining Unitarianism?

[@Ravanor]

The neanderthals were also probably the first organisms to be wiped out by 'humans' partially or otherwise.

[@CogitoEdu]

I should have stated this more clearly but I meant first species in recorded history as in this is the first species humans themselves recognised going extinct and documented it.

[@stupidninja3]

The subtitles when you were eating the resin was too much 😂😂😂

[@xandrecarnes9888]

Do a video on Mongolian shamanism keep this about the nature spirits and deity.

[@darrensaid1731]

I see this in Malta growing on rocky areas and when it drys it makes a lot of large seed

[@adifriedman6596]

Great video, but replacing actual dialogue subtitles with commentary makes the video less accessible to people with hearing issues

[@sherirobinson6867]

This was really interesting

[@shiny_x3]

Cartoon pooping...I think that's a first for me on KZbin. Great job on all your research! Why is everything I know about Romans wrong tho!?!?

[@angrychipmunkonfire3]

Environmental destruction and resource depletion caused by the desire for profit? Things really haven't changed, have they?