Pliny the Elder
Pliny the Elder was a Roman naturalist and author of the first century CE, best known for his encyclopedic *Natural History*—a vast compilation of knowledge about the natural world that remained authoritative for over a millennium.
He died investigating the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 CE, overcome by volcanic fumes.
His name now evokes ancient scientific curiosity and encyclopedic ambition. (Pliny the Younger was his nephew.)
Italian volcano, historically destructive
- PompeiiVolcano-buried Roman city
- HerculaneumRoman town buried by eruption
- Roman EmpireAncient state from Augustus onward
- equestrianRelating to horsemanship
prefect · admiral · Augustus · Tiberius · Claudius · Nero · Titus · cavalry
Power to affect others
- nephewSibling's male offspring
- lettersAlphabetic characters or mail
- eruptionViolent sudden release
- deathCessation of life
scholarship · Renaissance · medieval · citations · authority · encyclopedias · Isidore · translations
Condensed reference collection
- volumesAmounts or books
- compilationGathered works assembled together
- referenceDirecting attention elsewhere
- comprehensiveIncluding all elements
botany · zoology · mineralogy · geography · medicine · astronomy · ethnography · agriculture
Vesuvius
Italian volcano, historically destructive
- PompeiiVolcano-buried Roman city
- HerculaneumRoman town buried by eruption
- Roman EmpireAncient state from Augustus onward
equestrian · prefect · admiral · Augustus · Tiberius · Claudius · Nero · Titus · cavalry · procurator
influence
Power to affect others
death · scholarship · Renaissance · medieval · citations · authority · encyclopedias · Isidore · translations · humanists
compendium
Condensed reference collection
- volumesAmounts or books
- compilationGathered works assembled together
- referenceDirecting attention elsewhere
comprehensive · botany · zoology · mineralogy · geography · medicine · astronomy · ethnography · agriculture · metallurgy
animals
Multicellular mobile organisms
- plantsPhotosynthesizing rooted organisms
- mineralsInorganic natural solids
- gemstonesPolished ornamental minerals
metals · species · classification · specimens · phenomena · nature · ecology · amber · coral · pearls
Pliny the ElderAristotle
Greek founder of formal logic
Thucydides · Polybius · Lucretius · Eratosthenes · Archimedes