Pliny the Elder, tireless researcher and writer, is the author of the encyclopedic Natural History, in 37 books, an unrivalled compendium of Roman knowledge. The contents of the books are as follows.

Book 1: Table of contents of the others and of authorities.

Book 2: Mathematical and metrological survey of the universe.

Books 3-6: Geography and ethnography of the known world.

Book 7: Anthropology and the physiology of man.

Books 8-11: Zoology.

Books 12-19: Botany, agriculture, and horticulture.

Books 20-27: Plant products as used in medicine.

Books 28-32: Medical zoology.

Books 33-37: Minerals (and medicine), the fine arts, and gemstones.

The Loeb Classical Library edition of Natural History is in ten volumes.