Around here, black pepper is the most ubiquitous of spices, but we seldom if ever see the vine that it grows upon. In the esrly fifth century, Alaric and his Visigoths besieged rome and demanded a ransom that included, among other treasures, a large quantity of black pepper. His victory was one of the events that contributed to the decline and fall of Rome. 

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Pepper was known to ancient Europeans centuries before that, and was cultivated and used medicinally in India since before people started writing things down. 

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Medicinally, it promotes digestion, and promotes movement of fluids in the body. We’ve all noticed that it can make you sneeze, which is part of its decongestant and expectorant porperty. Topically, an oil made from pepper can promote healing of old sores. Internally, it can promote sweating and help to reduce fevers.

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