(Herbal) Tea?

[Lucius Duccius Rufinus]

I remember reading somewhere that the romans used to drink warmed wine in the colder months, I suppose possibly a bit like a mulled wine... Not sure if it would have been quite as spicy though!

There are several recipies in Apicius for spiced wines (and very nice they are too!) as well as one for absinthe.
As it was common practice to mix wine with water (to do otherwise was considered barbaric) and the water was sometimes hot (or even hot and salty if boiled sea-water was used) I would think that the notion of the hot 'herbal' infusion was one which they were very familiar with.

Wow, i never realise Absinthe stemmed back as far as Roman times!... That stuff is lethal!... How easy is it to make your own authentic roman absinth?