Roots Unearthed: How Ancient Roman Botany Shaped the Plant Sciences

The expansion of the ancient Roman world yielded an abundance of knowledge about the variety of botanical life within and beyond its borders. A burgeoning awareness of different species engendered innovative literary and scientific treatments of plants and their attributes, from idealized poetic depictions of nature to rigorous scientific studies. By tracing the origins of the plant sciences from Linnaeus back to the Romans, I will explore the lasting impact of ancient botany and the enduring symbiosis between humanistic and scientific endeavors. Topics to be discussed include ancient botanical classification and description, the history of Latin as a scientific language, and the development of botanical nomenclature.

Sarah McCallum

Sarah McCallum is an Associate Professor of Classics in the Department of Religious Studies and Classics at the University of Arizona. In her teaching and research, she focuses on Greek and Roman language and literature, particularly epic, elegiac, and pastoral poetry. Her recent and ongoing projects examine the complex negotiation between tradition and innovation that shapes the development of Roman poetry in the first century BCE. Throughout her life she has fostered a deep appreciation for and fascination with the natural world, and in her future endeavors she aims to delve deeper into ancient depictions of the natural world and its plant and animal inhabitants.