CINNAMON. 1.51 



for the high price of cinnamon in Syria, as 

 well as in Europe. Added to this, one third 

 of the cinnamon was annually burnt, as an 

 offering to the sun, by these idolatrous peo- 

 ple, who, before they commenced barking 

 the branches of the cinnamon-trees, made 

 great offerings of oxen, goats, and rams, to 

 their god Assabinus, (the Jupiter of the 

 Arabians,) who was considered the patron of 

 these trees. It was contrary to their reli- 

 gion to commence stripping the cinnamon 

 either before sun-rising, or to continue it 

 after his setting. When this harvest finished, 

 the bark was divided by their priest into 

 three lots, one of which remained on the 

 spot until it became so dry as to be set in 

 flames by the sun, and so consumed. 



The Emperor Vespasian, in all probability, 

 first observed the high regard paid to cinna- 

 mon by the inhabitants of Palestine, in their 

 places of worship, and which he seems to 

 have imitated at Rome ; for on his return 

 from the former country, he dedicated to the 

 Goddess of Peace, in one of the temples of 

 the Capitol, garlands and chaplets of cinna- 

 mon, inclosed in polished gold. 



In the temple built on Mount Palatine, 

 by the Empress Augusta, in honour of Au- 



