What is Pliny the Elder known for?
Pliny the Elder (born Gaius Plinius Secundus, AD 23–79) (IPA Classical Latin: /ɡɑius plinius sekundus/; /pliny/) was a Roman author, naturalist and natural philosopher, a naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and friend of emperor Vespasian.
What happened to Pliny’s original writings?
These writings probably were lost in antiquity and have played no role in perpetuating Pliny’s fame, which rests solely on the Natural History. Miniature by Andrea da Firenze from an edition of Natural History by Pliny the Elder, c. 1457–58, showing Pliny writing in his study, with landscape and animals; in the British Library.
What was the first book of Pliny the Elder written?
Pliny’s interest in literature and grammar grew while he was in the army, and he began writing. His first book: De jaculatione equestri was about utilization of javelins by cavalry. Later he wrote a 20-volume book: Wars in Germany.
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What did Pliny the Elder invent?
Pliny the Elder wrote the world's first encyclopedia. His Natural History contained over a million words in 37 volumes. Pliny attempted to document all known facts about the natural world.
Which is the famous work of Pliny in history?
Naturalis HistoriaAmong Pliny's greatest works was the twenty-volume work Bella Germaniae ("The History of the German Wars"), which is no longer extant....Pliny the Elder.Pliny the Elder Gaius Plinius SecundusNotable workNaturalis HistoriaChildrenPliny the Younger (nephew, later adopted son)7 more rows
When did Pliny write the Natural History?
77 ceNatural History, encyclopaedic scientific work of dubious accuracy by Pliny the Elder, completed in 77 ce as Naturae historiae and conventionally known as Naturalis historia. Page from an Italian edition of Natural History by Pliny the Elder, c. 1457–58; in the British Library.
Did Pliny the Elder save anyone?
Italian scientists are a few thousand euros and a test tube away from conclusively identifying the body of Pliny the Elder, the Roman polymath, writer and military leader who launched a naval rescue operation to save the people of Pompeii from the deadly eruption of Mt. Vesuvius 2,000 years ago.
Who was Pliny and what did he do?
Pliny is one of the chief sources of modern knowledge of Roman gardens, early botanical writings, and the introduction into Italy of new horticultural and agricultural species.
Why is Pliny the Elder beer famous?
Pliny, the beer has now become one of our flagship brews! Pliny the Elder was immortalized by his nephew, Pliny the Younger, who wrote about his uncle succumbing to ash and smoke during the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D. while rescuing people.
What did Pliny say about Jesus?
They called upon the gods, and supplicated to your image, which I caused to be brought to me for that purpose, with frankincense and wine; they also cursed Christ; none of which things, it is said, can any of those that are ready Christians be compelled to do; so I thought fit to let them go.
How did Pliny the Younger escape Pompeii?
The Elder headed to the shore, hoping that he might find some way to escape by sea. Back in Misenum, meanwhile, Pliny and his mother decided that they, too, had to escape. They tried to go by carriage, but the roads were clogged with other people fleeing, so they got out and ran.
What was Pliny doing when Mount Vesuvius erupted?
Pliny the Elder, a celebrated naturalist, at the time of the eruption was the commander of the Roman fleet in the Bay of Naples. After Vesuvius exploded, he took his boats across the bay to Stabiae, to investigate the eruption and reassure terrified citizens. After going ashore, he was overcome by toxic gas and died.
Why is Pliny the Younger important to our understanding of history?
Pliny's letters introduce many of the leading figures of Roman society in the 12 years after the death of Domitian—men of letters, politicians, administrators, generals, and rising young men of rank. They make possible the social reconstruction of an age for which there is otherwise no serious historical record.
Did Pliny the Younger survived Pompeii?
Although his uncle did not survive the eruption, Pliny the younger received the account from sailors who managed to escape and described the events. He himself lived with his mother in Misenum some few miles from Pompeii.
Who sailed in to Pompeii?
Pliny the Elder sailed into danger when Vesuvius erupted, and never returned, but a body found a century ago 'covered in jewelry like a cabaret ballerina' may really have been his.
Which book is written by Pliny?
Natural HistoryA Treatise on Cutaneous...1875Select Epistles of Cicero and...1836Pliny: Natural History, Vo...77 ADThe Elder Pliny's chapters o...1896The Natural History of Pliny Volu...77 ADPliny the Elder/Books
Who wrote national history?
Pliny the ElderNatural History / Author
What is the language of Pliny original work the Natural History?
The Natural History (Latin: Naturalis historia) is a work by Pliny the Elder.
Who discovered the ruins of Pompeii?
architect Domenico FontanaThe ruins at Pompeii were first discovered late in the 16th century by the architect Domenico Fontana. Herculaneum was discovered in 1709, and systematic excavation began there in 1738.
Why is Pliny the Elder important?
Pliny the Elder wrote the Natural History, an encyclopaedic work of uneven accuracy that was an authority on scientific matters up to the Middle Ag...
What was Pliny the Elder’s family like?
Pliny the Elder was descended from a prosperous family. He never married, but he adopted his sister’s son, Pliny the Younger, who also became an au...
What was Pliny the Elder’s occupation?
Pliny the Elder began a military career by serving in Germany, and he rose to the rank of cavalry commander. During the reign of Vespasian, with wh...
What did Pliny the Elder write?
Seven writings are ascribed to Pliny the Elder, of which only the Natural History is extant. There survive, however, a few fragments of his earlier...
How did Pliny the Elder die?
Pliny the Elder was commander of a fleet in the Bay of Naples when Mount Vesuvius erupted. Learning of an unusual cloud formation, Pliny went ashor...
What year did Pliny die?
Pliny's dates are pinned to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79 and a statement by his nephew that he died in his 56th year, which would put his birth in AD 23 or 24. Pliny was the son of an equestrian Gaius Plinius Celer and his wife Marcella. Neither the younger nor the elder Pliny mention the names.
What did Pliny the Younger do to make himself wealthy?
The family was prosperous; Pliny the Younger's combined inherited estates made him so wealthy that he could found a school and a library, endow a fund to feed the women and children of Como, and own multiple estates around Rome and Lake Como, as well as enrich some of his friends as a personal favor.
What did Pliny the Younger want to convey?
Pliny the Younger wanted to convey that Pliny the Elder was a "good Roman", which means that he maintained the customs of the great Roman forefathers. This statement would have pleased Tacitus. Two inscriptions identifying the hometown of Pliny the Younger as Como take precedence over the Verona theory.
What rank did Pliny enter the army?
Junior officer. In AD 46, at about age 23, Pliny entered the army as a junior officer, as was the custom for young men of equestrian rank. Ronald Syme, Plinian scholar, reconstructs three periods at three ranks.
Where did Pliny the Elder die?
Pliny the Elder died in AD 79 in Stabiae while attempting the rescue of a friend and his family by ship from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which had already destroyed the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum.
How many times was Titus consul?
Pliny also says that Titus had been consul six times. The first six consulships of Titus were in 70, 72, 74, 75, 76, and 77, all conjointly with Vespasian, and the seventh was in 79.
What is the inscription on the Xanten Horse?
It bears an inscription formed from punched dots: PLINIO PRAEF EQ; i.e. Plinio praefecto equitum, "Pliny prefect of cavalry". It was perhaps issued to every man in Pliny's unit. The figure is the bust of the emperor.
What tribes did Pliny tell his readers about?
Generally Pliny does not distinguish between scholarly and sensationalist information. For example, he happily tells his readers about the Blemmyae tribe, who “are said to have no heads, their mouths and eyes being seated in their breasts,” and another African tribe, the Aegipani, who are half-man, half-beast.
Why did Pliny the Elder not write his book?
Pliny the Elder. Pliny did not write his book for financial gain. In Pliny’s time, and for more than a millennium subsequently, all copies of books had to be copied laboriously by hand, because the printing press had not been invented. Moreover, there were no copyright laws.
How long did Pliny serve in the army?
A determined man, Pliny took his obligations seriously. At age 24 he began military service in Germany, where he completed three tours of duty in about 10 years as a cavalry commander.
How many words did Pliny write in his Natural History?
His Natural History contained over a million words in 37 volumes. Pliny attempted to document all known facts about the natural world. He claimed to have recorded 20,000 pieces of information, although modern scholars say he underestimated his own output. Remarkably, Natural History survives intact and can still be read today almost 2,000 years ...
Why did Pliny write the book Science for the Common Man?
He says it is: “…written for the masses, for the farmers and workers, and to interest people in their leisure time .”. Pliny the Elder.
How many words are in the book of Vespasian?
Unusually, the entire remarkable work – it contains over a million words – has survived intact – it is one of the most substantial ancient works available to modern readers. Pliny dedicated the book to Vespasian’s son Titus: “Plinius Secundus to his friend Titus Vespasian.”.
What was Pliny's family?
Pliny was born into a wealthy family placed in the second rank of the Roman Empire’s aristocracy – the equestrian order; this roughly translates into English as knights. In practice, the equestrians were the Empire’s municipal governing class, and members were expected to perform military service.
Overview
Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/24 – 79), called Pliny the Elder (/ˈplɪni/), was a Roman author, naturalist and natural philosopher, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the emperor Vespasian. He wrote the encyclopedic Naturalis Historia (Natural History), which became an editorial model for encyclopedias. He spent most of his spare time studying, writing, and investigating natural and geographic phenomena in the field.
Life and times
Pliny's dates are pinned to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79 and a statement by his nephew that he died in his 56th year, which would put his birth in AD 23 or 24.
Pliny was the son of an equestrian Gaius Plinius Celer and his wife Marcella. Neither the younger nor the elder Pliny mention the names. Their ultimate source is a fragmentary inscription (CIL V 1 3442) found in a field in Verona and recorded by the 16th-century Augustinian monk Onofrio Panvi…
Natural History
Pliny's last work, according to his nephew, was the Naturalis Historia (Natural History), an encyclopedia into which he collected much of the knowledge of his time. Some historians consider this to be the first encyclopedia written. It comprised 37 books. His sources were personal experience, his own prior works (such as the work on Germania), and extracts from other works. These extracts were collected in the following manner: One servant would read aloud, an…
Death
Pliny, who had been appointed praefectus classis in the Roman navy by Vespasian, was stationed with the fleet at Misenum at the time of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. He organized and led a rescue mission upon receiving a message from his friend Rectina, who had been left stranded in Stabiae during the eruption. Pliny boarded one of several galleys that he dispatched across the Gulf of Naples to Stabiae.
See also
• Plinian eruption
• Plinius, lunar crater
Further reading
• Saller, Richard. 2022. Pliny's Roman Economy: Natural History, Innovation, and Growth. Princeton University Press.
Sources
• Beagon, Mary. (1992). Roman Nature: The Thought of Pliny the Elder. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press.
• Beagon, Mary (translator) (2005). The elder Pliny on the human animal: Natural History, Book 7. Oxford University press. ISBN 0-19-815065-2. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help)
• Carey, Sorcha (2006). Pliny's Catalogue of Culture: Art and Empire in the Natural history. Oxford University press. ISBN 0-19-920765-8.