Natural History

Pliny the Elder, Gaius Plinius Secundus, was a Roman polymath and author of Natural History, which is a diverse collection of anecdotes, history, geography, medical information of varying worth, discussions of astronomy and earth science, and a catalog of Roman knowledge on botany and zoology. Pliny’s information varies in its quality; sometimes he seems amazingly credulous; at other times he appears a worthwhile scientist. Natural History is filled with interesting information and useful facts, which may explain why it was one of the most widely read books during the Late Roman Empire, Middle Ages, and Renaissance.

Russell M. Lawson, Science in the Ancient World: An Encyclopedia (Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2004), 190.