Out of Scope: Unexpected Titles in the Rare Book Collections

Pliny’s (c. 23 – 79) Natural History dates back to 77 C.E., though it was first printed in 1469. Considered one of the earliest encyclopedias, the work consists of thirty-seven books covering all the branches of natural history.

Book I is primarily a summary of the remaining thirty-six books and is especially valuable because Pliny was careful to name many of his sources, thus leaving a record of many books that are forever lost. Due to its wide array of subjects, citations, and index, the work is also seen as a model for later encyclopedias. Pliny also served as a valuable source of information about materia medica, as you can see in the pages displayed here.