Pliny
was born in 23 A.D. and died in 79 while observing the
famous eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
He wrote Historia Naturalis about 77 A.D. It
was composed of 37 books on natural history in all its
phases including meteorology, zoology, geography and
botany. This work contains a large among of
information found nowhere else. He reported that it
involved 2000 volumes but if so, most have been lost.
This work had a profound influence on biology
throughout the Middle Ages and practically until the
end of the 18th Century. In fact it was the basis for
the encyclopedias of Bartholomaeus Anglicus, Konrad
of Megenberg and others. He had visited Africa,
Greece and Egypt, served in the army in Germany and
had traveled to the North Sea.
Pliny's Natural History, Volumes 1, 4 and 5.
Books XVIII thru XXIII are particularly important.
Several editions are available.
