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Statue of Pliny the Younger on the facade of Cathedral of S. Maria Maggiore in Como. Photo by Wikimedia Commons.

Top 10 Facts about Pliny the Younger

Pliny the Younger full name in Latin was Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus. Pliny the younger is said to have written hundreds of letters of which there are 247 still surviving and they are of great value historically.

He was born into a very wealthy family and later adopted by his uncle after the death of his father. Pliny the Younger began to pursue his career in law at the early age of 18 years.

Some of the letters that Pliny the Younger wrote included, advice to the young men and scenes that described natural beauty and calamities. It is believed that he wrote most of his poems out of pain.

Below are 10 amazing facts about Pliny the Younger since his birth in 61CE

1. Pliny the Younger was born in Como, Northern Italy

Como and Lake Como in 1834, painted by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot.

Pliny the Younger was born in Novum Comum (Como Northern Italy) in 61 CE. His father鈥檚 name was Lucius Caecilius Cilo, while his mother鈥檚 name was Plinia Marcella.

He was a grandson to Gaius Caecilius who was both a landowner and a senator. Pliny鈥檚 father (Lucius Caecilius Cilo) died at an early age when Pliny was still a small boy and he was left in the hand of his mother (Plinia Marcella).

2. He Married Three Times

Pliny the Younger married at the young age of 18 years during the period he was beginning his career. He first married the stepdaughter to Veccius Proculus but she died at an age of 37 years.

The second wife was the daughter of Pompeia Celerina and the date of the marriage is not recorded.

The third wife of Pliny the Younger was Calpurnia, who was the daughter of Calpurnius. It is also recorded that all his life he did not have any children.

3. He was Raised by his Uncle

The Younger Pliny Reproved, colourized copperplate print by Thomas Burke (1749鈥�1815).

After the death of his father (Lucius Caecilius Cilo), Pliny the Younger was adopted by his uncle Lucius Verginius Rufus. His uncle acted as a teacher and a guardian who was in charge of his education.

After he had been tutored at home, he later went to Rome where he proceeded with his further education. While in Rome, he was taught rhetoric by Quintilian who was an outstanding teacher and author.

It was during this period that Pliny the younger got to become closer to his uncle and develop more respect for him.

Later when Pliny the younger was 17, his uncle died while attempting to rescue people affected by the Vesuvius eruption.

4. He Survived the Eruption from Mount Vesuvius

Eruption of Vesuvius, 1826 painting by I.C. Dahl. 

The volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius occurred in 79 AD when Pliny was 17 years.

The explosion was so huge that the top of the mountain brew off producing tons of ashes and debris. This led to losing of properties, livelihood, and the death of many people.

Many of the inhabitants that couldn鈥檛 be rescued were buried in the molten debris. This is the eruption that led to the death of his uncle as he tried to rescue the victims.

Later, Pliny the Younger recorded the accurate occurrence of the eruption in two letters he wrote to his friend.

5. Pliny the Younger Conducted Christian Trials

Pliny the Younger was involved in the Christian trials where first he wrote a letter to Trajan inquiring for instruction as this was his first trial. The trial was majorly based on atheism which did not believe in the traditional gods.

The Christians had refused to be involved in the Rome cults thus facing a trial. This letter specifically exists as evidence that there was such a thing as Christian trials historically.

The other problem was the Christians who used to hold meetings without a permit as it was authorized in Rome. The Christians were considered illegal because they preached about the kingdom of God. 

6. He was an Excellent Lawyer

Pliny the Younger began his career at age of eighteen. He made his name known wide and far in the Centumviral Court.

Pliny had a good reputation in handling the inheritance cases in which he specialized and was well known for financial matters as well.

A case that led to the breakthrough of Pliny as a lawyer is one that involved Junius pastor and a friend to the emperor. This case caused Pliny to have sleepless nights and almost gave up in the courts.

He continued with the case battling with very prominent people until he finally won the case for Junius鈥� pastor.

8. He had a Great Political Career

Pliny the younger at the age of 23 was recruited into the army as most of the young men did as a junior officer. Due to his love for Roman literature, he made long-lasting friendships with people in higher ranks.

He had both good and bad experiences with different emperors and it was under Trajan that he became the governor of Bithynia-Pontus, a Roman province.

Due to his experiences as a lawyer, he was considered a great orator and conducted many prosecutions in the Roman senate.

8. Pliny the Younger was an Author

Pliny the Younger began writing at the age of fourteen when he first composed the tragedy in Greek.  Since then, he wrote very many poetries, some of which have been lost.

The major work that gave him a reputation was 鈥淓pistulae鈥� which included personal letters to his friends and associates. It is a great work of the Roman administration and life during the 1 century CE.

9. He was very Wealthy

The Younger Pliny Reproved, colourized copperplate print by Thomas Burke (1749鈥�1815).

Pliny the Younger was born into a wealthy family and according to the letters, he was rich. According to the information recorded Pliny was the most generous person in Italy.

Though he was less wealthy than other senators; he had many landholdings and mass properties within Rome while other senators had properties beyond Rome. Since he was coming from a rich family, he had enough just to focus on his senatorial career.

10. Pliny the Younger was a Magistrate

Pliny the Younger also acted as a magistrate in the year between 97 and 117 during the reign of Trajan.

The letters between Pliny the Younger and the Trojan, are evidence that shows the relationship between the provisional governors and the imperial officers.

Pliny the Younger had a very successful career and his letters not only show the life that he lived but also the life during that period of 61 CE.

He had a great passion as a lawyer especially when he gave himself to defending his client against the friends of the emperor. He was a good writer who wrote many letters and many of them are preserved to date.