Cinnamon was highly prized among ancient nations and was regarded as a gift fit for monarchs and gods. Though its source was kept mysterious in the Mediterranean world for centuries by the middlemen who handled the spice trade, cinnamon is native to Malabar Coast of India, Sri Lanka, Burma and Bangladesh.
It was too expensive to be used in most funeral pyres in Rome, but the Emperor Nero is said to have burned a year's worth of the city's supply at the funeral for his wife Poppaea Sabina in AD 65.
Bring filtered or spring water to 212°F. Add 1 tsp of tea leaves to an 8oz cup. Pour boiling water over the tea leaves and let steep 7 minutes.