Essential oils are specifically named 180 times in the Bible. There are more then 500 references. The wise men brought gold to Jesus when he was born, as well as two other gifts considered just as valuable—Frankincense and Myrrh.
Barbarians once held the entire city of Rome hostage until a ransom of gold, silver, and 3,000 lbs of pepper was paid.
Bandits plundered the tomb of King Tut and carried away the essential oils but left gold encrusted artifacts.
King James was the king to whom the four thieves confessed that it was the power of a spice concoction that enabled them to rob the dead and dying plague victims. Yes...THE King James for whom the version of the Bible is named after.
The Spice Islands, a handful of small, volcanic islands in the Pacific became the focus of worldwide wars during the 1400s because they were a rare source of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and other highly valued medicinal spices. For their time, they had all the strategic importance of present-day Panama Canal or Middle East oil.
Cinnamon was one of the major goals of world exploration in the 15th and 16th centuries, and thus played a vital role in the discovery of America.