Plinii

Plinii is the Latin plural form of the nomen Plinius, used to designate members of the Plinii family. In classical and scholarly Latin texts, the name can refer to more than one person bearing the name Plinius, most notably the two Roman writers known as Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger.

Pliny the Elder (Gaius Plinius Secundus; 23–79 CE) was a Roman author, naturalist, and naval administrator. He compiled Naturalis Historia, an ambitious encyclopedia in 37 books that covers topics from cosmology and zoology to geography and human arts. The work reflects Roman attempts to classify and describe the natural world and human knowledge. He died during the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 CE, an event witnessed and described by later writers, including his nephew.

Pliny the Younger (Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus; 61–113 CE) was a lawyer, administrator, and prolific letter writer. His Epistulae (Letters) provide a detailed portrait of Roman political and social life and are valued for their insights into governance, rhetoric, and daily affairs in the early imperial era. He was the nephew and literary heir of Pliny the Elder and maintained an extensive correspondence with figures such as Emperor Trajan. His letters were widely circulated in antiquity and later became important sources for Roman history and epistolary prose.

In modern usage, Plinii appears mainly as a Latin designation in scholarly references or as a plural/genitive form of Plinius. In English-language scholarship, the two most famous Plinii are usually identified as Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger. The Plinii collectively represent a notable lineage in Roman literature and science.