A Roman scholar born in 23 CE who died from poisonous fumes while trying to get close to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE. A soldier and scholar, Pliny composed the 37-volume Natural History, in which he mentions an Essene settlement above 'Ein Gedi in the context of a description of Judea ( Nat. Hist. 5.17.4 [§73).

Gaius Plinius Secundus, Roman historian and scientific encyclopedist (AD 23-79). In his Historia Naturalis, he surveyed all the known sciences of his day, ranging from astronomy and geography to natural history and mineralogy.

Roman naturalist and writer, active in the first century A.D.

Roman author of an encylclopedic natural history; died while observing the eruption of Vesuvius (23-79)

Roman writer who flourished about 50 AD; he wrote his Natural History, a compendium of contemporary knowledge

Gaius Plinius Secundus, (23–August 24, 79 AD) better known as Pliny the Elder, was an ancient author, natural philosopher and naval and military commander of some importance who wrote Naturalis Historia. He believed that "true glory consists of doing what deserves to be written, and writing what deserves to be read".