See all books authored by pliny the elder, including naturalis historia, and ashen sky. Pliny read and dictated in a sedan chair as he moved about urban areas. In addition, plinys importance within our discipline is sometimes misrepresented. The illustrious life of pliny the elder, ancient historian. The book dictated astronomy, geography, anthropology. Pliny the elder 2379 ce, tireless researcher and writer, is author of the encyclopedic natural history, in 37 books, an unrivaled compendium of roman knowledge. 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 natural history became a model for later encyclopedias and scholarly works as a result of its breadth of subject matter, its referencing. Of all the works written by pliny, one only, the historia naturalis has survived to our. See more ideas about pliny the elder, pliny the younger and ancient pompeii. 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. The 1472 edition of plinys historia naturalis is the second oldest printed book in the university of readings rare book collections, and one of twelve examples of incunabula or early printed books held by the university. List of chapters and authorities of all 37 books the chapter headings listed in book 1 do not correspond to. Book pdf ocr text metadata dublin core this volume is part of a multivolume set.
Lacuscurtius pliny the elders natural history book 35. This edition can be found on the internet archive, with the exception of books 3337. I ran a first proofreading pass immediately after entering each book. Although pliny did not distinguish between fact, opinion, and speculation in his 37volume treatise, he can be credited with. Pliny the elder, who died during the eruption of vesuvius in 79 a. A rare original article from the philosophical transactions of the royal society, 1741. He wrote the encyclopedic naturalis historia natural history, which became an editorial model for encyclopedias.
Natural history by pliny the elder the 1279th greatest. Pliny the elder pliny, the elder the online books page. A 1491 edition of pliny the elders naturalis historia housed in our joseph f. So far our subject has covered the world and its lands, peoples, seas, notable rivers, islands and. This is a book from the elizabeth james collection and there is an ex libris pasted on the front endpaper. Pliny the elder, historia naturalis, in latin pliny the. Translated into english by philemon holland doctor of physicke. Note on pliny and beginning of the historia naturalis. The letters of pliny the younger on the eruption of vesuvius, and more on. Naturalis historia is a book about the whole of the natural world in latin by pliny the elder, a roman author and naval commander who died in 79 ad. 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 natural history has been translated into english by h.
Pliny the elder has 277 books on goodreads with 3818 ratings. Book vii is of particular interest, as pliny observes at the start. Pomponius secundus, in two books, a person by whom he had been. Copies in library not available while library buildings are closed. The complete latin text of book xxxv of the historia naturalis of c. This book is available with additional data at biodiversity heritage library. Natural history encyclopedic scientific work by pliny. Author of naturalis historia, pliny, historia naturalis, c. Plinys 37 book naturalis historia is a stupor mundi, an encyclopedia of everything there was to knowwhether it was worth knowing or notin rome of the 1st c ad.
In ad 77, pliny published his famous 37volume work naturalis historia or natural history. Plini secundi naturalis historiae libri xxxvii, the. Gaius plinius secundus ad 232479, called pliny the elder. Publication date 184749 topics natural history publisher london printed for the club by g. Cullman 3 rd library of natural history, however, challenges both of those commands. Pliny the elder, naturalis historia, liber xxxv, chapter 35. Table of contents of the others and of authorities. While it certainly covers subjects of the physical world, geography, agriculture, anthropology, mathematics, etc.
Contemporary binding with stamped pigskin back on boards composed of leaves from a book. Author see all 2 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Natural history, encyclopaedic scientific work of dubious accuracy by pliny the elder, completed in 77 ce as naturae historiae and conventionally known as naturalis historia. It is one of the largest single works to have survived from the roman empire to the modern day and purports to. Accessible book, ancient geography, art, art, grecoroman, astronomy. Plinys interest in science and nature saw him create a 37 book compilation titled naturalis historia in 77 ad which remains one of only a few intact roman historical documents covering diverse topics from the roman daily life and environment such as botany, warfare, astronomy, biology, art, and food. The reading copy of historia naturalis has one illuminated page and thirtyseven illuminated initial letters. Pliny the elder, tireless researcher and writer, is author of the encyclopedic natural history, in 37 books, an unrivaled compendium of roman knowledge.
Of all the works written by pliny, one only, tlic itistoria. He was born at comum, not as is sometimes supposed at verona. Latin edition latin paperback january 19, 2012 by pliny the elder. An account of the observations that have been made on the heavens by. Pliny the elder pliny, the elder a wikipedia article about this author is available pliny, the elder. Links to translation of pliny the elder, natural history, by h. Naturalis historia latin for natural history is an encyclopedia published circa ad 7779 by pliny the elder. Pliny the elder, tireless researcher and writer, is author of the encyclopedic natural history, in 37 books, an unrivaled. Philosophy and science in the elder plinys naturalis historia in. Gaius plinius secundus 23 ad august 25, 79 ad, better known as pliny the elder, 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. In book iii pliny the elder 2379 cd covers the geography of the iberian peninsula and italy.
In a recent article, klaus sallmann, one of the leading experts on pliny, claims that even among classicists the naturalis historia has hardly attracted any interest 2005. Pliny the elder, tireless researcher and writer, is author of the encyclopedic natural history, in 37 books, an unrivaled compendium of roman knowledge the contents of the books are as follows. The natural history of pliny volume 6 uniform titles. Links to translation of pliny the elder, natural history. Pliny the elder books list of books by author pliny the. Links to translation of pliny the elder, natural history attalus.
The first and thirtythird books of pliny were translated by dr. Plini secundi naturalis historiae libri xxxvii, the historie of the vvorld. A thirtyseven chapter book written in ten volumes, this text utilized all of the experience pliny went through during his travels and the knowledge of his youth to create a compilation of roman life. By his own account pliny sets out 20,000 facts derived from 2000 works to comprise his encyclopedia of knowledge, the historia naturalis. In the battle of issus how many books are in the natural history. In the ninetieth olympiad lived aglaophon, cephisodorus, erillus, and evenor, the father of. Around 77 ad, pliny began the work for which he is best known.
Naturalis historia is an early encyclopedia published circa ad 7779 by pliny the elder. The project gutenberg ebook of the natural history of pliny, vol i. Pliny was an energetic man, hugely desirous of literary immortality, who wrote his books in the interstices of a full career as a soldier and an administrator. Pliny the elders most popular book is natural history. This volume one includes the first five books, covering the following subjects. The homepage for plinys natural history the historia naturalis of c. An account of a book by john eames intituled, jacobi theodori klein historiae piscium naturalis promovendae missus primus gedani, or, the first number of an essay towards promoting the natural history of fishes. 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. The book is rambling and discursive, full of vignettes, asides, and diatribes. I suppose, therefore, that to seek after any shape of god 1, and to assign a form and image.