Malabathrum

Malabathrum is mentioned in the first century Greek text Periplus Maris Erythraei and sourced to a people called 'Sêsatai', identified with Kirradai (Kirata) of Ptolemy.

[3] Though malabathrum was a product of Northeast India, it was rarely traded by the western traders at the mouth of the Ganges (which is much closer to the source) but at southwestern Indian ports of Muziris/Nelcynda.

The name malabathrum is used in mediaeval texts to describe the dried leaves of a number of trees of the genus Cinnamomum, which were thought to have medicinal properties.

[citation needed] The Greeks used kásia (cassia) or malabathron to flavour wine, with absinth wormwood (Artemisia absinthium).

Malabathrum leaves (folia) were used in cooking and for distilling an oil used in a caraway-sauce for oysters by the Roman gourmet Gaius Gavius Apicius.