Pliny the Elder

Pliny the Elder (23 AD – 79 AD) was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian. He wrote the encyclopedic Naturalis Historia, which became an editorial model for encyclopedias. His nephew, Pliny the Younger, wrote of him in a letter to the historian Tacitus.

Life and Death

Pliny the Elder was born in Como, a town in present-day Italy. He served in the Roman army and was a close friend of the Roman Emperor Vespasian. He died during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD while attempting to rescue friends.

Works

Pliny's most famous work is his Naturalis Historia, an encyclopedia covering a wide range of topics including astronomy, geography, man, animal, plant, mineral, art, culture, and medicine. It is one of the largest single works to have survived from the Roman Empire to the modern day and purports to cover the entire field of ancient knowledge, based on the best authorities available to Pliny.

Legacy

Pliny's Naturalis Historia has been influential in the development of the encyclopedia as a genre. His work has been referenced by numerous authors and has been used as a primary source for classical studies.

See Also

• Natural History (Pliny)
• Pliny the Younger
• Vespasian
• Roman Empire

External Links

• Britannica Biography

Pliny the Elder Resources
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