Pliny the Elder

Lore & Background

Pliny the Elder was the son of an equestrian, Gaius Plinius Celer, and his wife, Marcella, though neither the Elder nor the Younger Pliny mention these names; their ultimate source is a fragmentary inscription. He was born at Como, not Verona, as a statue on the Como Cathedral celebrates him as a native son. He had a sister, Plinia, who married into the Caecilii and was the mother of his nephew, Pliny the Younger. Pliny the Elder did not marry and had no children; after his death, he adopted his nephew, to whom he left his estate. Pliny's father took him to Rome to be educated in lawmaking. In AD 46, at about age 23, he entered the army as a junior officer. He served under Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo in Germania Inferior, taking part in the Roman conquest of the Chauci and the construction of a canal. He was later transferred to Germania Superior under Publius Pomponius Secundus, with whom he became a close friend. He was promoted to commander of a cavalry battalion and spent the rest of his military service in Germania Inferior. A decorative phalera with his name has been found at Castra Vetera. Among the lost works were the twenty-volume Bella Germaniae, used as a source by Plutarch, Tacitus, and Suetonius, and the thirty-one-volume history A fine Aufidii Bassi. He died in AD 79 in Stabiae while attempting to rescue people from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

Reader's Guide

Pliny the Elder's significance lies primarily in his sole surviving work, the Naturalis Historia, a thirty-seven-volume encyclopedia that became an editorial model for later encyclopedias. This work covered a vast array of topics on human knowledge and the natural world, reflecting his lifelong dedication to studying, writing, and investigating natural and geographic phenomena in the field. His lost works, including the twenty-volume Bella Germaniae and the thirty-one-volume history A fine Aufidii Bassi, were used by prominent Roman historians such as Plutarch, Tacitus, and Suetonius, indicating his influence on historical writing. Tacitus may have used Bella Germaniae as the primary source for his work De origine et situ Germanorum. Pliny's legacy also includes his role as a naval and army commander and his friendship with Emperor Vespasian. His death during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, while attempting rescue operations, underscores his commitment to duty and scientific observation. The details of his life, preserved in his nephew's letters, provide insight into Roman intellectual and military culture.

Did You Know?

• Pliny the Elder died while attempting to rescue people from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79.
• His lost work Bella Germaniae was used as a source by Plutarch, Tacitus, and Suetonius.
• Pliny did not marry and had no children; he adopted his nephew, Pliny the Younger, after his death.