# Pliny short for Pliny the Elder (Gaius Plinius Secundus A.D. 23-79), Roman official and writer. He was brought up as an accomplished, well-educated soldier, administrator and naval commander. He is known to have practiced law, but is chiefly remembered for his interest in natural history. His Natural History is the most comprehensive account of its kind written in antiquity. It covers such subjects as astronomy, the cosmos, geography, the nature of man, the animal world, plants, agriculture, the use of herbs for medical purposes, painting, magic, etc. Although comprehensive, Pliny was careless in his use of sources and frequently credulous. His work nonetheless remained the standard encyclopedic compilation covering the different aspects of nature until the 17th century.