It is weird when you look at what he writes in Natural History he is kind of the first crypto zoologist.
The best things said about it
Rome's Pliny the Elder. He, in his natural history, talked about a mermaid-like creature called... The Nereid.
And it's weird; when you look at what he writes in Natural History, he is kind of the first cryptozoologist; like, the scholarly burden of proof is not really a thing, so this guy is just sort of like when Freud was making up psychoanalysis.
Why people recommend it
Natural History by Pliny the Elder is an encyclopedic ancient Roman text that compiles vast amounts of natural science, geography, and fantastical lore from the classical world. The book was discussed on Stuff You Should Know and Stuff They Don't Want You To Know, where hosts Josh Clark, Ben Bowlin, and their co-hosts explored its unique place in history. Ben Bowlin brought up Natural History while examining ancient accounts of mythical creatures, specifically noting the descriptions of the crocuta and mermaid-like entities such as the Nereid. The hosts characterized Pliny as an early form of cryptozoologist, pointing out that his writing relied heavily on extraordinary anecdotes and lacked modern scholarly burdens of proof. They compared his compilation of incredible stories and folklore to the foundational period of psychoanalysis, emphasizing how his fantastical accounts reflect the imaginative scope of antiquity. Josh Clark similarly referenced the work to highlight how ancient writers documented bizarre marine creatures. Throughout the discussions, the podcast hosts treated the volume as a fascinating window into ancient perceptions of the natural and supernatural worlds, blending genuine historical inquiry with whimsical skepticism about the author's unverifiable claims regarding fantastic beasts.
Every mention
Ben Bowlin it is weird when you look at what he writes in Natural History he is kind of the first crypto zoologist 2
“it is weird when you look at what he writes in Natural History he is kind of the first crypto zoologist”
“if you've read Natural History like hey bro you know what I heard”
Mentioned on the show without a named speaker2
“Rome's Pliny the Elder. He, in his natural history, talked about a mermaid-like creature called... The Nereid.”
“And it's weird; when you look at what he writes in Natural History, he is kind of the first cryptozoologist; like, the scholarly burden of proof is not really a thing, so this guy is just sort of like when Freud was making up psychoanalysis.”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
“apparently Pliny the Elder wrote that they have the most Exquisite flavor”