To understand the Roman empire, read Pliny the Younger
His letters contain fascinating observations on everyday life—and the joys of remote work
THE PLINYS were well ahead of you. You may think it is terribly contemporary and efficient to go for a walk with your AirPods in and an audiobook on. It is also very Roman. For as Pliny the Younger records, people were doing this (mutatis mutandis) in those days too. While “going about anywhere”, the author’s uncle, Pliny the Elder, instructed someone to follow him, clutching a book and reading out loud. This happened as the elder Pliny ate, as he sunbathed, even at the baths; he was an antique audiobook enthusiast.
This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “Ancient and modern”
Culture January 29th 2022
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