Scientists find first mention of the word "abracadabra": it was used in the 2nd century

Scientists have discovered that the mysterious word "abracadabra," which we associate with magic and witchcraft today, had a completely different purpose in ancient times. As it turned out, it was used by Roman doctors to treat fever back in the second century AD.

This discovery was made possible through the study of the medical work of the Roman scientist Quintus Serenus Sammonica. In his poem Liber Medicinalis, he described in detail various medicines and spells, among which the word "Abracadabra" was first mentioned. Sammonica recommended writing this word on paper in the form of a triangle and wearing it as an amulet to protect against fever, labrujulaverde.com writes.

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Sammonicus, the tutor of the sons of Emperor Septimius Severus, is believed to have been a follower of Gnosticism, a religious movement that combined elements of Christianity, Judaism, and various philosophical systems. The Gnostics believed in the magical power of words and used amulets with inscriptions to protect themselves from evil forces.

Interestingly, the idea that words have magical powers was widespread not only in ancient Rome but also in many other cultures. For example, in medieval times, people believed that writing "Abracadabra" on a door could protect them from the plague.

The discovery of the Roman origin of the word "Abracadabra" sheds new light on the history of medicine and magic. It demonstrates how closely these two concepts were intertwined in ancient times and how people sought various ways to fight diseases.

Earlier, scientists managed to recreate the appearance of an ancient Ukrainian who lived 10,000 years ago.

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