Abstract The hydrodistilled essential oils of the rhizomes of Athamanta turbith subsp. hungarica and A. turbith subsp. haynaldii were analyzed by GC-FID and GC/MS. Twenty-one compounds (99.8% of total oil) were identified in the oil from A. turbith subsp. hungarica, and 33 components (99.9% of total oil) were identified in the oil from A. turbith subsp. haynaldii. Both oils were characterized by high amounts of phenylpropanes, with myristicin (54.2% and 22.3%, respectively) and apiole (32.6% and 48.5%, respectively) being the main components. The antimicrobial activity of the oils was determined using the agar diffusion and broth microdilution method. Investigated essential oils were the most effective against Micrococcus luteus and Klebsiella pneumoniae, and had no effect against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. As for antifungal activity, essential oils exerted similar and significant activity, but only in higher concentrations.