Roman Scientific & Technical Literature: Key Works & Authors
Roman Technical Prose and Scientific Writings
Roman antiquity has bequeathed more than just poems and speeches. Latin texts surviving today are classified as essays, handbooks, or treatises on numerous subjects, forming an essential starting point for many scientific and technical disciplines.
For the Romans, the connection between science and philosophy was evident; scientific knowledge was considered an extension of philosophical understanding.
The Romans were innovators in science, emphasizing the collection and dissemination of knowledge. Roman scientific literature is predominantly encyclopedic, encompassing and interrelating diverse subjects.
This literature often draws from Greek texts, proceeding through imitation or translation. The language is frequently peppered with neologisms and colloquial terms, sometimes featuring a less polished syntax.
Below, we present a selection of authors, works, and disciplines that illuminate the significant contributions made by the Romans in these fields of knowledge.
Roman Agricultural Treatises
Treatises on agriculture are among the oldest and most established in Roman technical literature. Prominent authors in this field include Cato the Censor, Marcus Terentius Varro, and Columella.
Cato the Censor
Cato presents his ideas in a somewhat unsystematic treatise, De Agri Cultura, yet it is written with the authority of firsthand experience.
Marcus Terentius Varro: De Re Rustica
Varro composed De Re Rustica. This work is distinct, resembling a treatise on agricultural economics. It is presented in dialogue form across three books covering agriculture (Book I), livestock (Book II), and farming of smaller animals like poultry, bees, and fish (Book III). It is not merely technical but also explains factors affecting the productivity and economic value of farms.
Columella: De Re Rustica & De Arboribus
Columella authored a comprehensive twelve-book treatise, De Re Rustica, and a shorter companion piece, De Arboribus (On Trees). De Re Rustica is the most extensive and complete Roman work on agriculture that has survived. It is aimed at large landowners managing significant labor forces, reflecting Columella’s own status as a substantial landowner.
In addition to these authors, the works of Roman surveyors (agrimensores) are noteworthy. They applied mathematical, economic, and legal knowledge to land measurement and management. These writings are highly technical.
Roman Geographical Knowledge
The Romans also exhibited a keen interest in the world around them. Notable figures who contributed to Roman geographical understanding include Cicero, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, and Pomponius Mela.
Cicero
Cicero is known to have written a work on Chorographia (descriptive geography), though it has not survived.
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa
Agrippa commissioned a significant world map, which was displayed publicly in Rome and likely accompanied by geographical commentaries.
Pomponius Mela: De Chorographia
Pomponius Mela authored De Chorographia, a geographical treatise. It primarily describes the known world, focusing on the Mediterranean, in an engaging style reminiscent of travelogues or “periploi” (voyages).
Roman Architecture and Engineering Texts
Construction and engineering were fields of immense interest and practical importance to the Romans.
Vitruvius: De Architectura
Vitruvius, an architect and engineer who reportedly served under Augustus, left us De Architectura. This ten-book work has been a foundational reference for architects and urban planners throughout history. It covers topics such as civic planning, street layouts, building materials, and types of structures. Each book includes a preface, and the work is dedicated to Emperor Augustus. The writing style is somewhat unpolished and technical, filled with specialized terms throughout its extensive coverage.
Roman Veterinary Science and Medicine
Vegetius: Mulomedicina
Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus wrote Digesta Artis Mulomedicinae (commonly known as Mulomedicina), a detailed treatise on the diseases and care of horses and mules.
Aulus Cornelius Celsus: De Medicina
Aulus Cornelius Celsus authored a comprehensive encyclopedia, De Artibus (On the Arts). Of this larger work, only the eight books constituting De Medicina (On Medicine) have survived intact. Celsus synthesized Greek medical theory with Roman practical experience. Although likely not a practicing physician himself, his work on medicine gained significant renown and is a crucial source for Hellenistic medical knowledge.
Roman Contributions to Natural Sciences
We conclude this look at Roman technical literature with key works on the natural sciences.
Pliny the Elder: Naturalis Historia
Pliny the Elder bequeathed to us Naturalis Historia (Natural History). This vast, 37-book encyclopedia compiles knowledge on a wide array of subjects: geography, ethnography, anthropology, human physiology, zoology, botany, pharmacology (from animal and plant sources), and mineralogy. Pliny, a dedicated scholar, aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the natural world as understood in his time. His work is an invaluable repository of information on Roman knowledge and beliefs.
Seneca the Younger: Naturales Quaestiones
Seneca the Younger wrote Naturales Quaestiones (Natural Questions), a work in seven books that explores meteorological and astronomical phenomena, including winds, rain, snow, hail, earthquakes, comets, and meteors. It also touches upon aspects of geography and geology. Seneca expressed a belief in human progress and the potential of scientific inquiry.
Many of these foundational Roman works are accessible today through high-quality translations, allowing contemporary readers to engage directly with the intellectual achievements of the classical world.