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Why the Myrtle Tree Was Sacred in Greek Mythology
The myrtle was one of the most important sacred plants in the religious imagination of the ancient greeks.
Unlike mythological creatures or divine weapons, the myrtle existed as a real, physical plant growing throughout the Mediterranean region.
Its evergreen leaves, fragrant white flowers, and dark berry clusters made it both visually distinctive and symbolically powerful.
Known scientifically as Myrtus communis, the common myrtle became deeply integrated into religious ritual, sacred landscapes, and mythological explanation.
The significance of the myrtle in Greek mythology did not come from a single famous myth.
Instead, its meaning developed gradually through repeated association with Aphrodite, the goddess of love, and through its use in religious ceremonies, ritual crowns, and sacred spaces.
Ancient writers preserved these associations not as abstract symbolism, but as observations of real sacred objects that could still be seen in temples, groves, sacred shrines and cities.
To understand the myrtle tree meaning in Greek religion, we must examine what ancient authors actually wrote about it.
The Sacred Myrtle Tree of Troezen and the Myth of Phaedra
One of the clearest and most important references to a sacred myrtle tree appears in the work of the Greek traveler Pausanias.
He wrote the Description of Greece in the second century CE. While visiting the city of Troezen, Pausanias recorded the existence of a specific myrtle tree whose leaves contained visible holes.
The local inhabitants explained this unusual feature through myth. Pausanias writes:
“The Troezenians say that the myrtle had holes in its leaves, and that these were made by Phaedra with the pin of her hair in her distress.”
(Pausanias, 1918, II.32.7)
This passage preserves a story created to explain a physical feature of the natural world.
The holes in the myrtle leaves were interpreted as the direct result of Phaedra’s emotional suffering.
According to the myth, Phaedra fell under the destructive influence of Aphrodite, whose power governed desire and emotional intensity.
The myrtle tree therefore became a physical witness to divine influence.
It transformed from an ordinary plant into a sacred object connected to mythological history.
This example demonstrates how the greeks understood sacred plants.
They were not symbolic in an abstract sense. They were part of sacred geography.
Myrtle and Aphrodite: The Sacred Plant of the Goddess of Love
The strongest and most consistent association of the myrtle in Greek mythology is with Aphrodite.
Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, was closely connected with sacred plants that symbolized attraction, fertility, and divine influence.
This association is preserved most clearly in later Roman sources that continue Greek religious tradition.
The Roman poet Ovid describes Venus, the Roman equivalent of Aphrodite, interacting directly with myrtle. He writes:
“Venus touched my brows with myrtle of Cythera.”
(Ovid, 1931, Fasti IV)
Cythera was one of the most important sacred locations of Aphrodite in the Greek world. The use of myrtle in this context identifies it as belonging to the goddess.
Ovid also writes:
“Give Venus her own myrtle, which she loves.”
(Ovid, 1931, Fasti IV)
Although this text belongs to Roman religion, Venus preserves the identity of Aphrodite.
The symbolic association between the goddess and the myrtle remained consistent.
This confirms that the myrtle became sacred through direct association with divine identity.
Myrtle Wreaths and Ritual Identity in Ancient Greek Religion
The ritual importance of myrtle is confirmed in literary references from Classical Greece.
In the play Frogs, written by Aristophanes in 405 BCE, participants in sacred rites are described wearing wreaths made from myrtle.
Aristophanes writes:
“For us alone shines the sun and its sacred light… crowned with wreaths of fruitful myrtles.”
(Aristophanes, 1902, p. 330)
This passage confirms that myrtle wreaths were used in religious ceremonies. Individuals wearing these wreaths were participating in sacred ritual.
Aristophanes also refers to sacred myrtle groves:
“Through myrtle groves and happy bands.”
(Aristophanes, 1902, p. 314)
These references demonstrate that the myrtle was integrated into sacred ritual space. Myrtle wreaths and garlands served as visible markers of participation in sacred activity.
The myrtle crown or wreath distinguished participants in ritual from ordinary individuals.
The Botanical Identity of Myrtus Communis in the Ancient Mediterranean
The plant referenced in Greek mythology corresponds to Myrtus communis, the common myrtle. This species grows naturally throughout the Mediterranean region and western Asia.
The Greek philosopher Theophrastus provides important botanical information about the myrtle in his work Enquiry into Plants. He writes:
“The myrtle is among the plants most commonly cultivated.”
(Theophrastus, Enquiry into Plants, I.4)
This statement confirms that the myrtle was widely grown and cultivated.
Its widespread presence made it easily available for religious use. Its evergreen leaves symbolized continuity. Its aromatic fragrance made it suitable for ritual garlands.
The natural characteristics of the plant contributed to its sacred status.
Myrtle Wreaths in Greek Cultural Life
The Greek writer Athenaeus preserves additional references to myrtle wreaths in his work Deipnosophists.
He describes participants wearing wreaths of myrtle during ceremonial gatherings (Athenaeus, 1927).
This confirms that myrtle wreaths were widely recognized cultural and ritual objects.
Although Athenaeus wrote during the Roman period, he preserves earlier Greek traditions.
The continued use of myrtle wreaths demonstrates the long-term religious importance of the plant.
Roman Venus and the Continuation of Greek Myrtle Symbolism
Roman religion preserved Greek myrtle symbolism through Venus.
Ovid describes ritual instructions involving myrtle in festivals dedicated to Venus (Ovid, 1931).
These references confirm that myrtle remained a sacred plant of the goddess.
This demonstrates continuity between Greek Aphrodite and Roman Venus.
Myrtle Tree Meaning and Tree Symbolism in Greek Mythology
The symbolic meaning of the myrtle tree emerges clearly when ancient sources are examined together.
The myrtle represented divine presence through its association with Aphrodite.
It represented ritual identity through its use in wreaths.
It represented emotional and divine influence through mythological stories such as that of Phaedra.
It represented continuity through its evergreen nature.
The myrtle became sacred through integration into religious life.
References
Aristophanes. (1902). The Frogs. Translated by B. B. Rogers. London: George Bell and Sons.
Athenaeus. (1927). Deipnosophists. Translated by C. B. Gulick. Harvard University Press.
Ovid. (1931). Fasti. Translated by James George Frazer. Macmillan.
Pausanias. (1918). Description of Greece. Translated by W. H. S. Jones. Harvard University Press.
Theophrastus. (1916). Enquiry into Plants. Translated by Arthur Hort. Harvard University Press.