Articles
Malum Punicum recte seritur – pomegranate in Pliny the Elder’s Naturalis Historia and Columella’s De re rustica
Article number
1464_40
Pages
289 – 296
Language
English
Abstract
The pomegranate (Punica granatum L.), known in Antiquity as malum Punicum, pomum granatum or granata, held significant agricultural, medicinal, and symbolic value in the Ancient Roman world.
This paper examines its cultivation and botanical characterisation through the lens of the two fundamental Latin texts: the encyclopaedic Pliny the Elder’s Naturalis Historia and agronomic Columella’s De re rustica libri duodecim. While both authors provide instructions on pomegranate propagation, pruning and varietal differentiation, their approaches reflect distinct perspectives – Pliny’s encyclopaedic compilation of empirical knowledge contrasts with Columella’s practical, hands-on agricultural expertise.
Pliny catalogues diverse pomegranate cultivars, distinguishing them by flavour, rind thickness, and climatic adaptability, while also documenting medicinal applications of its bark, rind and flowers.
Columella, conversely, emphasises optimal planting techniques, soil preferences, and grafting methods to maximise yield – a testament to Roman horticultural innovation.
Intriguingly, both authors note the pomegranate’s role in the Mediterranean agroecology.
For contemporary botanists, these ancient texts offer not only a historical record of Punica granatum’s diversity, but also insights into pre-modern arboriculture practises.
This paper examines its cultivation and botanical characterisation through the lens of the two fundamental Latin texts: the encyclopaedic Pliny the Elder’s Naturalis Historia and agronomic Columella’s De re rustica libri duodecim. While both authors provide instructions on pomegranate propagation, pruning and varietal differentiation, their approaches reflect distinct perspectives – Pliny’s encyclopaedic compilation of empirical knowledge contrasts with Columella’s practical, hands-on agricultural expertise.
Pliny catalogues diverse pomegranate cultivars, distinguishing them by flavour, rind thickness, and climatic adaptability, while also documenting medicinal applications of its bark, rind and flowers.
Columella, conversely, emphasises optimal planting techniques, soil preferences, and grafting methods to maximise yield – a testament to Roman horticultural innovation.
Intriguingly, both authors note the pomegranate’s role in the Mediterranean agroecology.
For contemporary botanists, these ancient texts offer not only a historical record of Punica granatum’s diversity, but also insights into pre-modern arboriculture practises.
Authors
M. Helbig
Keywords
Punica granatum, Roman botany, Roman agronomy, horticultural history, Mediterranean fruits in Antiquity
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