The Natural History is an early encyclopedia published circa AD 77–79 by Pliny the Elder. It is one of the largest single works to have survived from the Roman Empire to the modern day and purports to cover all ancient knowledge. The work's subject area is thus not limited to what is today understood by natural history; Pliny himself defines his scope as "the natural world, or life".The work is divided into 37 books, organised into ten volumes. These cover topics including astronom...

Pliny's Natural History is an astonishingly ambitious work that ranges from astronomy to art and from geography to zoology. Mingling acute observation with often wild speculation, it offers a fascinating view of the world as it was understood in the first century AD, whether describing the danger of diving for sponges, the first water-clock, or the use of asses' milk to remove wrinkles. Pliny himself died while investigating the volcanic eruption that destroyed Pompeii in AD 79, and the na...

According to Pliny's definition, Natural History is a book about the natural world or life. It is the first encyclopedic work in history and a model for later encyclopedias. It is also the largest single work to have survived from the Roman Empire to the modern days. In this book, Pliny covers topics including astronomy, mathematics, geography, ethnography, anthropology, human physiology, zoology, botany, agriculture, horticulture, pharmacology, mining, mineralogy, sculpture, art, and prec...

Caius Plinius Secundus was born either at Verona or Novum Comum1, now Como, in Cisalpine Gaul, in the yearA.U.C. 776, and A.D. 23. It is supposed that his earlier years were spent in his native province; and that he was still a youth when he removed to Rome, and attended the lectures of the grammarian Apion. It was in about his sixteenth year that he there saw Lollia Paulina, as in the following she was divorced by Caligula, and it was probably in his twentieth that he witnessed the captur...

The Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder’s encyclopaedic ‘Natural History’, composed in 37 books, remains an unrivalled compendium of Roman knowledge. Delphi’s Ancient Classics series provides eReaders with the wisdom of the Classical world, with both English translations and the original Latin texts. This comprehensive eBook presents Pliny’s complete extant works, with beautiful illustrations, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1)* Beaut...

Pliny the Elder's Natural History is a vast encyclopaedia, surveying natural phenomena from cosmology to biology, medicine to magic. Direct observation, informed speculation and common knowledge are combined to present a key snapshot of ancient thought and the Romans' perspective on the world around them.Book VII of The Natural History provides a detailed examination of the human animal and is crucial to understanding the work as a whole. In Pliny's eyes, mankind ...

In "The Natural History of Pliny (Vol. 1-6)", Pliny the Elder offers an unparalleled compendium that encapsulates the breadth of ancient knowledge and inquiry. Written in the 1st century CE, this monumental work spans various disciplines, including astronomy, geography, botany, and zoology, employing a meticulous yet narrative-driven style that reflects the Roman quest for understanding the natural world. Pliny's organizational structure of books—ranging from cosmology to the properties of...

This is the first thorough English commentary on the geographical books of Pliny the Elder, written in the AD 70s. Pliny's account is the longest in Latin, and represents the geographical knowledge of that era, when the Roman Empire was the dominant force in the Mediterranean world. The work serves both cultural and ideological functions: much of it is topographical, but it also demonstrates the political need to express a geographical basis for the importance of the Roman state. In five b...

In 'The Natural History of Pliny' (Vol. 1-6), Pliny the Elder presents an expansive and systematic exploration of the natural world, melding empirical observation with a philosophical perspective. This monumental work, composed in the first century AD, serves as one of the earliest encyclopedias, encompassing a vast array of topics from astronomy to botany, geography to zoology. Pliny's literary style is characterized by its encyclopedic ambition and meticulous detail, offering insights en...

The Naturalis historia by Pliny the Elder provided Renaissance scholars, artists and architects with details of ancient architectural practice and long-lost architectural wonders - material that was often unavailable elsewhere in classical literature. Pliny's descriptions frequently included the dimensions of these buildings, as well as details of their unusual construction materials and ornament. This book describes, for the first time, how the passages were interpreted from around 1430 t...

The Classics of Ancient Rome: 30+ Masterpieces of Latin Literature is a meticulously edited anthology that encapsulates the essence of Roman thought, culture, and artistry. Capturing the epochs of Rome from its mythic foundation to the height of its imperial power, this collection traverses an array of literary styles—from epic poetry and philosophical treatises to historical chronicles and satirical prose. The diversity and magnitude of these works highlight the intellectual and creative ...

An enriching collection of classical writings about how ancient Romans made—and thought about—moneyAncient Romans liked money. But how did they make a living and sometimes even become rich? The Roman economy was dominated by agriculture, but it was surprisingly modern in many ways: the Romans had companies with CEOs, shareholders, and detailed contracts regulated by meticulous laws; systems of banking and taxation; and a wide range of occupations, from merchant and...