The pomegranate (Punica granatum Linnaeus) is considered the oldest continuously cultivated fruit tree. The tree is thought native to the Middle East or southern Asia; the only other species, P. protopunica is found on the island of Soqotra off the southern coast of Yemen. The Phoenicians and Arabic traders introduced pomegranates throughout much of the ancient world.

In Greek mythology, Pluto kidnapped Persephone carrying her into the underworld. He offered her a pomegranate of which she ate a few pieces of the pulp from the seeds. This action condemned her to spending half of the year with Pluto (winter) and half with the world of the living (summer).

During the second attempt to capture the Greek civilization in 480 BCE, Xerxes made a great show of his invasion and his wealth. Herodotus (Book VII, trans. George Rawlinson) wrote, "Of these last one thousand carried spears with golden pomegranates at their lower ends instead of spikes; and these encircled the other nine thousand, who bore on their spears pomegranates of silver."

In Exodus, the pomegranate motif was used on the ephods or vestments of the priests. "...thou shalt make the robe of the ephod all of blue...upon the hem of it thou shalt make pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, round about the hem...and bells of gold between them...." (Exodus 28: 31-33).

In I Kings, the pomegranate design appeared on the chapiters (capitals of the columns) of the temple constructed during the reign of Solomon. "And the chapiters upon the two pillars had pomegranates...two hundred in rows round about...." (I Kings 7:20).

Judaic tradition holds that every pomegranate has 613 seeds reminding them of the 613 commandments of the Torah. But in Arabic, the pomegranate is called rumman, the fruit of Paradise. People who eat pomegranates will have their hearts filled with light for every pomegranate contains one seed from heaven.