Licorice, also known as European licorice and common licorice, is
an herb and spice produced from the underground rhizome of a plant in
the legume family. The herb’s genus name comes from the Greek words
glykys and rhiza, which respectively mean “sweet” and “root.” The
combination also inspired the name for the primary constituent of
licorice—glycyrrhizin.
The sweet flavor of licorice root has been enjoyed for centuries
throughout Europe and the Mediterranean region, starting with the
ancient Romans and Egyptians. In fact, there is recorded evidence that
Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great consumed copious amounts of
licorice and an abundant supply was discovered in King Tut’s tomb.