When did Pliny the Elder die?
Pliny the Elder died on the 25th of August 79 while attempting to rescue strangers from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. He was overcome by toxic gases and collapsed near Stabiae, never to rise again.
Questions about Pliny the Elder
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Where was Pliny the Elder born?
Pliny the Elder was born in the city of Como around the year 23 or 24. His origins in the region of Gallia Transpadana placed him in a multi-ethnic community founded by Julius Caesar in 59 BC.
What was the name of Pliny the Elder's famous work?
Pliny the Elder wrote the Natural History, a thirty-seven-volume encyclopedia covering the entire spectrum of human knowledge and the natural world. It was the largest single work to survive from the Roman Empire and served as a model for all future encyclopedias.
Who was Pliny the Elder's nephew?
Pliny the Younger was the nephew of Pliny the Elder and later described the scene where his uncle died during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. He recounted how his uncle, a corpulent man suffering from chronic respiratory issues, was overcome by toxic gases.
Which emperor did Pliny the Elder serve under during his military career?
Pliny the Elder served under commanders like Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo and Publius Pomponius Secundus during the reign of Emperor Nero. He spent the next decade on the frontiers of the empire, specifically in Germania Inferior and Germania Superior.
What was Pliny the Elder's role at the time of the Mount Vesuvius eruption?
Pliny the Elder was stationed at Misenum as the praefectus classis, or admiral, of the Roman fleet when the volcano began to spew ash and pumice. He ordered his fleet to sail toward the danger to observe the phenomenon firsthand and rescue strangers.