c. 450 BCEPeer-reviewedWell documented
The Scythians and Herodotus
On the timeline · around c. 450 BCE ·
What happened
The Greek historian Herodotus described the Scythians — nomads of the Eurasian steppe — throwing cannabis onto hot stones inside tents and 'howling with joy' at the vapor. Archaeology has since confirmed cannabis among Scythian burial goods.
Why it matters
It is one of the oldest written accounts of recreational and ritual cannabis use, from a culture that helped carry the plant across Eurasia.