Spice spices. Spices were among the most demanded and expensive products available in Europe in the Middle Ages, the most common being black pepper, cinnamon (and the cheaper alternative cassia), cumin, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. Given medieval medicine's main theory of humorism, spices and herbs were indispensable to balance "humors" in food, a daily basis for good health at a time of recurrent pandemics. In addition to being desired by those using medieval medicine, the European elite also craved spices in the Middle Ages. An example of the European aristocracy's demand for spice comes from the King of Aragon, who invested
Via Cassia Via Cassia The Via Cassia was an important Roman road striking out of the "Via Flaminia" near the Milvian Bridge in the immediate vicinity of Rome and, passing not far from Veii, traversed Etruria. The "Via Cassia" passed through Baccanae, Sutrium, Volsinii, Clusium, Arretium, Florentia, Pistoria, and Luca, joining the "Via Aurelia" at Luna. The "Via Cassia" intersected other important roads. At mile 11 the "Via Clodia" diverged north-north-west. At Sette Vene, another road, probably the "Via Annia", branched off to Falerii. In Sutrium, the "Via Ciminia" split off and later rejoined. The date of its construction is uncertain: it