Gaius Plinius Secundus, (23–79) better known as Pliny the Elder, was an ancient author and Natural philosopher of some importance who wrote Naturalis Historia. He was the son of a Roman eques by the daughter of the Senator Gaius Caecilius of Novum Comum. His great work is the Naturalis Historia, an encyclopedia into which Pliny collected much of the knowledge of his time. The work had been planned under the rule of Nero. He dedicated the work to Titus Flavius in 77.