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Pharmakon
Pharmaka Saviors of Antiquity - Metallika, Botanika, Theriaka
(66) Plutarchus Quaestiones convivales IV 1 663 C p. 22 Fuhrman
Εἰ δ' ὅλως τὸ μικτὸν ἀθετεῖς καὶ ποικίλον, ὦ Φιλῖνε, μὴ δειπνίζοντα μηδ' (1
ὀψοποιοῦντα μόνον λοιδόρει Φίλωνα τοῦτον, ἀλλὰ πολὺ μᾶλλον, ὅταν μιγνύ
βασιλικὰς καὶ ἀλεξιφαρμάκους ἐκείνας δυνάμεις, ἃς “θεῶν χεῖρας” Ερασίστρατος
ὠνόμαζεν, διέλεγχε τὴν ἀτοπίαν καὶ περιεργίαν, ὁμοῦ μεταλλικὰ καὶ βοτανικa
θηριακὰ καὶ τὰ ἀπὸ γῆς καὶ θαλάσσης εἰς αὐτὸ συγκεραννύντος. @1 (5)
- Theriaka (θηριακὰ) - beasts
If you were to do a TLG word search for Theriaca (θηριακὰ).
You'll find SO MANY references.
"I didn't know there was so much theriac going on!"
What kind of theriacs are we talking about?
- Alexapharmakoi (ἀλεξιφαρμάκους) - medicine/antidotes - ones that avert those death inducers.
What do you call these?
- Metallika (μεταλλικὰ) - from the earth
- Derived from earthly minerals, metals, stones
The pharmaka are the cures, the salvation.
There is the metallica pharmaka, The metallica salvation brought to you by the drugs.
What else?
- Botanika (βοτανικa) - botanic, the plant salvation
- The herbal remedies
- see also Theophrastus, Dioscorides, and medieval "witches’" lore
Telling you the gospel.
You didn't know these were all drug terms.
What else?
- Theriaka (θηριακὰ) - venomous, salvation by poison
- A universal antidote against animal venoms, especially snakebite
- Became a legendary panacea, complex in recipe (60+ ingredients)
- The dangerous cures — poisons turned to salvation through balance and art. The serpent’s kiss made holy. Today, we collect blood serum from animals as venom antidote. Theriac includes both the venom(s) and the antidote(s), plus a whole lot more (opium, etc).
These 3 potent saviors in antiquity:
- Metallika (μεταλλικὰ)
- Botanika (βοτανικa)
- Theriaka (θηριακὰ)
You know what you call these 3 saviors? You call them:
- Theon Cheiras (θεῶν χεῖρας) - the HANDS of the GODS.
We're talking about the powers of the drugs:
- Basilikas (βασιλικὰς) - royal powers, kingly properties, or qualities fit for a king
- It is describing certain extraordinary or powerful properties or forces being mixed, alongside medicinal or antidotal powers (ἀλεξιφαρμάκους). These could metaphorically be referred to as "royal" due to their exceptional or elevated nature.
Ancient Greek pharmacopoeia
What follows is an index of Pharmakon attested in Ancient Greek sources (roughly 800BCE-400CE).(please send corrections or additions)
| Category | Name (Greek) | Name (English) | Street / Mystery Names | Sources | Notes / Usage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compound Formulae | Θηριακή (Theriakē) | Theriac | antidoton, alexipharmakon | Nicander, Andromachus, Galen | 61+ ingredients; universal antidote. |
| Μιθραδάτιον (Mithradation) | Mithradation | — | Mithradates, Celsus, Galen | Earlier formula, ~30–36 ingredients. | |
| Θονασίμον (Thonasimon) | Thonasimon | “the storm” | PGM, glosses | Frenzy-drug; venom + porphyra + deliriants. | |
| Γαλήνη (Galēnē) | Galene | “the calm” | Nicander, Galen | animal-produced antibody based venom antidote, used to balance (antidote) the thonasimon (dote). | |
| Πανάκεια (Panakeia) | Panacea | “all-heal” | Homer, Dioscorides | Both goddess and remedy. | |
| Κυκεών (Kykeōn) | Kykeon | Eleusinian draught | Homer, Hymn to Demeter | Barley + mint + (likely psychoactive additive). | |
| Χρῖσμα (Chrisma) | Chrisma | salvation, burning purple, death inducer, etc.. | NT, Galen, PGM, Hippocratic Corpus (5th century BCE), Galen's De locis affectis (174–178 CE), Galen's De Methodo Medendi (175–180 CE), Hippiatrica Berolinensis (Byzantine 500-600AD), Homeric Hymn 5 to Aphrodite; Euripides Medea 633, Aeschylus' Prometheus Bound, Euripides' Hippolytus 516, Strabo's Geography (10), Bion's "To Hyacinthus", Apollodorus' Argonautica Book 3 Chapter 13 Section 6, In Lucian's The Ass, Amos 4:13 - Septuagint (Swete 1930), John 1:41, John 4:25 - Greek New Testament (Nestle 1904), letters of John the apostle - 0031.023, Greek New Testament Revelation 3:18 (Nestle 1904), Josephus (37-100CE) refers to christing pharmakon in Against Apion (~94CE), Hesychius Ancient Lexicon (~450 AD), many many many 3000's others... | Chrism is the name for a pharmakon salves, unguents, ointments. Christing (applying) those chrisms (medicated salves). Often visionary containing the burning πορφύρα for mystical use, or using other active substances for medicinal use. | |
| Plants / Botanika | Μακώνιον (makounion) / ὄπιον (opion) | Opium | “the juice” | Homer, Dioscorides, Galen | Opium poppy juice; analgesic, soporific. |
| μῆκων (Mekoun) | Poppy (Papaver somniferum) | -- | raw juice (opion), seeds, capsules | ||
| Κάνναβις (Kannabis) | Cannabis | Ἀστήριον (asterion) or “star” | Herodotus, Dioscorides | Cannabis; fumigant, trance-inducing. | |
| Κολχικόν (Kolchikon) | Meadow saffron | — | Dioscorides, Galen | Colchicine; gout remedy; Medea’s homeland. | |
| Ἀκόνιτον (Akoniton) | Aconite | Wolfsbane | Nicander, Dioscorides | Deadly poison; analgesic in microdoses. | |
| Μανδραγόρας (Mandragoras) | Mandrake root | -- | Theophrastus, Dioscorides | Hallucinogen, sedative, love charm. | |
| Ὑοσκύαμος (Huoskuamos) | Hyoscyamos | Henbane | Dioscorides | Scopolamine; delirium-inducing. | |
| Στρύχνος (Struchnos) | Atropa Belladonna | Deadly Nightshade | Dioscorides | Atropa belladonna type. | |
| Ἑλλέβορος (Helleboros) | Hellebore | -- | Hippocrates, Dioscorides | Purgative, madness cure. | |
| Ἀψίνθιον (Apsinthion) | Wormwood | -- | Dioscorides | Bitter herb; name for the plant, not drink. | |
| Ἀρτεμισία (Artemisia) | Mugwort, sage, wormwood | -- | Dioscorides | Linked with Artemis; gynecological uses. | |
| Λίβανος (Libanos) | Frankincense | -- | Dioscorides, PGM | Incense, antiseptic, fumigant. | |
| Μύρρα (Murra) | Myrrh | -- | Dioscorides, PGM | Incense, antiseptic, fumigant. | |
| Νάρδος (Nardos) | Nard | -- | Dioscorides, Gospels | Perfumed ointment. | |
| Μάραθον (Marathon) | Fennel | -- | Dioscorides | Sharpens vision. | |
| Δάφνη (Daphne) | Laurel | Daphne | Pythian cult, Dioscorides | Oracular trance, wreaths. | |
| Κρόκος (Krokos) | Saffron | -- | Homeric hymns, Dioscorides | Stimulant, dye, narcotic. | |
| Ἀλόη (Aloe) | Aloe | -- | Dioscorides | Bitter purgative, wound healer. | |
| Κιννάμωμον (Kinnamoumon) | Cinnamon | -- | Dioscorides, Galen | Imported spice, stimulant. | |
| Ζιγγίβερις (Zingiberis) | Ginger | -- | Dioscorides | Digestive, warming. | |
| Γεντιανή (Gentiane) | Gentian | -- | Dioscorides | Bitter tonic. | |
| Καρδάμωμον (Kardamoumon) | Cardamom | -- | Dioscorides | Aromatic spice. | |
| Κώστος (Koustos) | Costus | -- | Dioscorides | Aromatic root from India. | |
| Τραγάκανθα (Tragakantha) | Tragacanth | -- | Dioscorides | Gum resin stabilizer. | |
| κισσός (Kissos) | Ivy | The Vine | -- | sacred to Dionysos, sometimes brewed to induce intoxication. | |
| Fungi / Mykētes | Ἐρυσίβη (Ergot) | Ergot (Claviceps Purpurea, Paspali) | -- | Eleusinian suspicion | Grain parasite, LSD precursors. |
| Ἀμανίτης (Amanites) | Amanita | -- | Dioscorides | Hallucinogenic mushroom. | |
| Ψιλοκύβη (Psilokube) | Psilocybe | -- | Hesychius gloss | Psychedelic fungi (rare ref). | |
| Venoms / Thēriaka | Ἔχιδνα (Echidna) | Viper venom | -- | Nicander, Galen | Pharmakon, theriac basis. |
| Δίψας (Dipsas) | “Thirst snake” | -- | Nicander | Induces thirst, delirium. | |
| Ἄσπις (Aspis) | Asp, cobra | -- | Plutarch, Nicander | Cleopatra’s suicide; venom in antidotes. | |
| Σκορπίος (Skorpios) | Scorpion | -- | Dioscorides | Venom in microdose. | |
| Νάρκη (Narke) | Torpedo fish | -- | Aristotle, Dioscorides | Electric shock as “venom.” | |
| Κυνόδοντος (Kunodontos) | “Dog’s tooth” (fang powder) | -- | Nicander | Crushed snake fangs. | |
| φρύνη (phrynē) | Toad | -- | Aristophanes (Clouds 169), also in Nicander (Alexipharmaca 288) | in context of poisons. βατραχία (frog) sometimes used interchangeably with φρύνη in looser zoological contexts. | |
| -- | European toad (Bufo bufo) | -- | Pliny the Elder (Naturalis Historia 29.72–73, 32.21–22), Dioscorides (De Materia Medica 2.67), Hesychius, Nicander’s Alexipharmaca (esp. vv. 218–250) mentions both frogs and toads in lists of venomous/poisonous creatures, used in pharmaka; PGM (Greek Magical Papyri), there are recipes calling for βατραχίων δέρματα (skins of frogs/toads) and occasionally dried parts mixed into potions or fumigations | secrete bufotoxins (cardiac glycosides, hallucinogens, and deliriants) | |
| -- | green toad (Bufotes viridis) | -- | Pliny the Elder (Naturalis Historia 29.72–73, 32.21–22), Dioscorides (De Materia Medica 2.67), Hesychius, Nicander’s Alexipharmaca (esp. vv. 218–250) mentions both frogs and toads in lists of venomous/poisonous creatures, used in pharmaka; PGM (Greek Magical Papyri), there are recipes calling for βατραχίων δέρματα (skins of frogs/toads) and occasionally dried parts mixed into potions or fumigations | secrete bufotoxins (cardiac glycosides, hallucinogens, and deliriants) | |
| Πορφύρα (Porphura) | Murex Sea Snail Purple dye | The Burning Purple | Pliny, Galen, PGM | Murex purple; sacramental drug. | |
| Mineral / Metallika | Μίλτος (Miltos) | Red ochre | -- | Dioscorides | Protective, wound healer. |
| Λήμνιον γῆ (Lemnion Ge) | Lemnian earth | -- | Dioscorides, Galen | Stamped clay antidote against venom. | |
| Κιννάβαρι (Kinnabari) | Cinnabar | -- | Dioscorides | mercury sulfide, red pigment for magical inscriptions. | |
| Θεῖον (Theion) | Sulfur | -- | Dioscorides, PGM | Purifier, fumigant. | |
| Νίτρον (Nitron) | Natron | -- | Dioscorides, Egyptians | Soda ash; cleansing, embalming. | |
| Νάφθα (Naphtha) | Naphtha | -- | Strabo, Plutarch | Flammable oil, Medea’s fire analogue. | |
| Arsenikon (realgar / orpiment) | Arsenic | -- | Dioscorides (De Materia Medica 5.120): discusses ἀρσενικόν as a pharmakon (used externally, very toxic). Theophrastus (On Stones 48–49): describes both red (realgar) and yellow (orpiment). | alchemical, toxic, sometimes in magical ink. realgar (red arsenic sulfide, As₄S₄) and sometimes for orpiment (yellow arsenic sulfide, As₂S₃). The pure element arsenic (the metallic grey form, As) was not isolated until much later (Middle Ages). So Ἀρσενικόν ≠ modern arsenic metal. In Greek texts, arsenikon almost always means the mineral sulfides (red/yellow). | |
| ἰός χαλκοῦ (verdigris) | Copper oxides | -- | -- | corrosive, medicinal/magical crossover. | |
| earth | earth | --- | --- | It’s earth from the ground. You take it to make a mold for it to be emplastered. They’re plasters. You make troches and lozenges out of them for pharmaceutical administration. | |
| Human / Iatrika | Σίελος (Sielos) | Saliva | -- | PGM, Pliny, Galen | Used in antidotes, ritual pharmaka. |
| σπέρμα (Sperma) | semen | -- | PGM, Pliny, Galen | Used in antidotes, ritual pharmaka. | |
| οὖρον (Ouron) | urine | -- | PGM, Pliny, Galen | Used in antidotes, ritual pharmaka. | |
| καταμήνια (Katamenia) | menses | -- | PGM, Pliny, Galen | Used in antidotes, ritual pharmaka. | |
| αἷμα (Hima) | Human / animal blood | ||||
| milk | milk | ||||
| honey | honey |
Recipes
- Kykeon (Κυκεών): Barley meal (ἀλφίτων) + pennyroyal or mint (γλήχων) + water/wine; possible psychoactive additive (ergot, opium, cannabis).
- Thonasimon: Snake venom (esp. dipsas/echidna/asp) + porphyra (burning purple) + deliriants (mandrake, henbane, aconite, hellebore) + wine base. Storm drug of frenzy/death.
- Mithradatum: ~30–36 ingredients: opium, myrrh, saffron, cinnamon, ginger, gentian, anise, fennel, parsley, castoreum, Lemnian earth, small venoms.
- Theriac: Expanded 61+ ingredients by Galen, universal antidote. see Theriac