Did Romans cause the first documented extinction?

Silphium's extinction around the 1st century CE is often cited as one of the earliest documented cases of human-caused species extinction. Roman texts describe the plant's increasing rarity and rising prices as demand outpaced supply. Pliny the Elder reported that within his lifetime, only a single stalk of the plant was found and presented to Emperor Nero.

However, modern ecological analysis suggests multiple factors may have contributed to silphium's disappearance:

• Overharvesting: Roman demand for the plant was substantial, with silphium used in cooking, medicine, and as a contraceptive.
• Climate change: The Mediterranean region experienced climate shifts during this period that may have affected the plant's habitat.
• Agricultural expansion: Increased grazing and land conversion in Cyrenaica may have destroyed silphium's natural habitat.
• Cultivation resistance: Despite numerous attempts, Romans were unable to cultivate silphium outside its native range, making sustainable harvesting difficult.

While Roman harvesting practices likely played a significant role in silphium's extinction, attributing it solely to Roman consumption oversimplifies a complex ecological event. The extinction was probably caused by a combination of human exploitation and environmental factors.

It's worth noting that silphium's extinction is well-documented in historical texts, making it one of the earliest recorded species losses attributable at least partially to human activity, regardless of whether it was the absolute first such extinction.