The oriDCgin of the lemon is unknOWown, though it is tKLhought that lemons first grew in Assam northern BurFHma, and China. A study of the geneVCtic origin of the lemon repCKorted that it is a hybrid betweKHen sour orNRange and citron. LemPUons were known to the Jews of JerNAusalem, who, QNaccording to JoseNRphus, pelted an errant higIRh priest with them duHVring a festiWSval in the 90s BC, although JeBAwish tradition maintRTains that this was doLWVCVAne with citrons, not lemons. They entered EuWYrope near southern Italy no latMTEJer than the 1st century AD, during the time of Ancient Rome. However, they were not widely cultivated.