Religion
Saint Isidore Isidore was a rich Alexandrian who made the “mistake” to be a christian during the reign of emperor Decius, the most notorious persecutor…
Folkloric References
Its history goes back to the depths of time... Legends, traditions, favourite customs, historical conjuncture, religions, places, voyages, people and cultures compose the myth of Chios mastiha. Ever since the Roman Empire up to the Byzantium, the Venitians and the Ottomans, from the studies of Dioscorides to the Jerusalem Balsam and from the first lokum in Constantinople to the traditional saliq of Saudi Arabia, mastiha enchants people with its unique aroma and its particular taste.
Historic
189 BCE From very early on, the Chians cultivated friendly relations with Rome, foreseeing the role that history would reserve for the Latins. In 189…
Commercial
336-146 B.C.E. Besides Chian mastiha, ancient texts mention Illyrian, Ethiopian, Indian, and Egyptian mastics. Information exists only on the Egyptian, which was black and did…
Medical
Dioscorides The first recorded promoter of Chian mastiha was Dioscorides. He was born in Cilicia in the early 1st century CE, when Nero was emperor…
Cosmetics
Rome Nevertheless, what propelled mastiha onto the Roman market was gum chewing. Roman high society with its sybaritic predilections sought new exotic experiences, and chewing…
Gastronomy
Saliq Syrian was the celebrated Moabia, his father was one of Mohammed’s most fanatical enemies, but he embraced Islamism. As leader of a large fleet…
Other References
In the late 9th century, a bishop in northern Italy was unable to respond to the invitation of a local lord. To mitigate his absence,…
