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The Natural History Volume 1

by PLINY THE ELDER (23 - 79)

22 - Book 3, Chapters 23-30 and Summary <i>Istria, its people and locality; The Alps and the Alpine nations; Liburnia and Illyricum; Dalmatia; The Norici; Pannonia; Moesia; Islands of the Ionic Sea and the Adriatic; Summary; Roman authors quoted; Foreign authors quoted</i>

Naturalis Historia (Latin for "Natural History") is an encyclopedia published circa AD 77-79 by Pliny the Elder. 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 work became a model for all later encyclopedias in terms of the breadth of subject matter examined, the need to reference original authors, and a comprehensive index list of the contents. The scheme of his great work is vast and comprehensive, being nothing short of an encyclopedia of learning and of art so far as they are connected with nature or draw their materials from nature. The work divides neatly into the organic world of plants and animals, and the realm of inorganic matter, although there are frequent digressions in each section. He is especially interested in not just describing the occurrence of plants, animals and insects, but also their exploitation (or abuse) by man, especially Romans. The description of metals and minerals is particularly detailed, and valuable for the history of science as being the most extensive compilation still available from the ancient world. (Summary from Wikipedia)This volume one includes the first five books, covering the following subjects: Book 1- DedicationBook 2 - An account of the world and the elementsBooks 3 to 5 - An account of countries, nations, seas, towns, havens, mountains, rivers, distances, and peoples who now exist or formerly existed

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Listen next episodes of The Natural History Volume 1:
23 - Book 4, Chapters 1-10 <i>Epirus; Acarnania; Aetolia; Locris and Phocis; The Peloponnesus; Achaia; Messenia; Laconia; Argolis; Arcadia</i> , 24 - Book 4, Chapters 11-18 <i>Attica; Boeotia; Doris; Phthiotis; Thessaly Proper; Magnesia; Macedonia; Thrace; The Aegean Sea</i> , 25 - Book 4, Chapters 19-25 <i>The islands which lie before the lands already mentioned; Crete; Euboeia; The Cyclades; The Sporades; The Hellespont - The lake Maeotis; Dacia, Sarmatia </i> , 26 - Book 4, Chapters 26-30 <i>Scythia; The islands of the Euxine; The islands of the northern ocean; Germany; Ninety-six islands of the Gallic Ocean; Britannia</i> , 27 - Books 4, Chapters 31-37 and Summary <i>Gallia Belgica; Gallia Lugdunensis; Gallia Aquitanica; Nearer Spain, its coast along the Gallic Ocean; Lusitania; The islands in the Atlantic Ocean; The general measurement of Europe; Summary; Roman authors quoted; Foreign authors quoted</i> , 28 - Book 5, Chapters 1-3 <i>The two Mauritanias; Numidia; Africa</i> , 29 - Book 5, Chapters 4-8 <i>The Syrtes; Cyrenaica; Libya Mareotis; the islands in the vicinity of Africa; Countries on the other side of Africa</i> , 30 - Book 5, Chapters 9-13 <i>Egypt and Thebais; The River Nile; The cities of Egypt; The coasts of Arabia, situate on the Egyptian sea; Syria </i> , 31 - Book 5, Chapters 14-19 <i>Idumaea, Palaestina and Samaria; Judaea; Decapolis; Phoenice; Syria Antiochia; The remaining parts of Syria</i> , 32 - Book 5, Chapters 20-28 <i>The Euphrates; Syria upon the Euphrates; Cilicia and the adjoining nations; Isauria and the Homonades; Pisidia; Lycaonia; Pamphylia; Mount Taurus; Lycia</i> , 33 - Book 5, Chapters 29-32 <i>Caria; Lydia; Ionia; Aeolis</i> , 34 - Book 5, Chapters 33-39 <i>Troas and the adjoining nations; The islands which lie in front of Asia; Cyprus; Rhodes; Samos; Chios; Lesbos</i> , 35 - Book 5, Chapters 40-44 and Summary <i> The Hellespont and Mysia; Phrygia; Galatia and the adjoining nations; Bithynia; The islands of the Propontis; Summary; Roman authors quoted; Foreign authors quoted</i>