"Ancient Natural History" surveys the ways in which people in the
ancient world thought about nature, particularly animals and
plants. It looks at those people whose wider views are known, so
that we can see their natural history in context. As a large number
of readers are aware of the importance of Greek "science" in later
periods of European history, this book is designed to show how such
doctrines arose in ancient society.
Ancient natural history was the gathering and presentation of
"historiae," items worthy of note by the philosopher, popularizer
or marvel-monger. These "histories" were natural because they were
part of the physical world. The book examines the relationship
between the physical world, the gods, Greek philosophy and the
purposes of those who expressed such different notions about
"nature." Attention is given to Aristotle's animals and
Theophrastus's plants.
"Histories" worthy of note most often came from distant places,
and Strabo's geography is taken as illustrative of the principles
of the book. Pliny's "Natural History" is examined in some detail.
A major theme of the book is how natural history was treated
differently by different societies: the Greeks, the Romans, Jews
and Christians.
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