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Monday, October 25, 2010

Pliny the Elder

Gaius Linius Secundus, Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, natural philosopher, naval and army commander (in Germania, Africa, Gual, Hispania), lawyer, and provincial governor. He is famous for authoring an encyclopedic work called Naturalis History. He was probably born in Como (I wonder if Perry's folks were from there) on Lake Como. His father had him educated in rhetoric and grammar in Rome. Among much else he was familiar with hydraulic gold mining techniques used in Spain at the time. He lived from about 23 to 79 AD, early in the development of Christianity.
Some notable happenings during the lifetime of Pliny the Elder were:
~ 5 - 40 AD: The approximate reign of Cymbeline (Cunobeline), king of the Catuvellauni, recognized by Rome as Rex Britannica.
~ 25 to 220 AD: approximate time of the ascendancy of the Eastern Han in China. (seem to have become successful competitors of ours).
~ 27 AD: Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist.
~ 28 AD: John the Baptist is executed on Herod's orders.
~ 30 AD: Crucifixion of Jesus.
~ 37 to 41 AD Reign of Roman Emperor, Caligula.
~ 39 to 40 AD: Caligula leads two unsuccessful expeditions into Gaul. Some Gauls were probably moving into what is now Britain and Ireland from what is now Belgium at about this time.
~ 41 AD: Emperor Caligula is assassinated.
~ 41 to 54 AD: Reign of Clauius I, Roman Emperor.
~ 43 AD: Romans under Aulus Plautius invade Britain and London founded. The British forces under Caractacus are defeated at battles on the rivers Medway ad Themes. Caractacus, King of the Catuvellauni, is mentioned in Welsh legend and may be related to Belgic warriors.
~ 43 to 120 AD: Roman poet Martial lived. 
~ 46 to 120 AD: life span of Plutarch of Plutarch's Lives.
~ 50 AD The likely year that the Hindu Scriptures, the Bahagavad Gita, are written down; the same year the Greeks note crossing the Indian Ocean.
~ 51 AD: Caractactus, British war leader, is captured and taken to Rome.
~ 58 AD: Buddhism 'officially' introduced to Chinese in China.
~ 60 AD: Epictetus, a leading teacher of Stoicism, is born in Greece.
~ 61 AD: Boadicea, Queen of the Iceni, leads a rebellion in Britain and is defeated and killed by the Roman governor, Suetonius Paulinus.
~ 64 AD St. Peter is crucified in Rome; that same year Rome is destroyed by fire and Nero beins persecution of Christians.
65 AD: The Philosopher Seneca commits suiide on Nero's orders.
68 AD: Flavious Josephus publishes History of the Jewish War
~ 69 to 8o AD: the Colosseum is built in Rome.
~ 73 AD: Fall of Masada, last stronghold of the Jewish Zealots in Palestine.
~ 77 AD: Roman conquest of Britain and Julius Agricula becomes imperial governor.
~ 78 AD: Kamishka rules as Great King in northern India founding the Second Kushana Dynasty.
~ 79 AD Vesuvius erupts and buries the cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Stabiae.
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