MODERATO Unit Lucius Columella (Columella, Lucius Iunius Moderatus)

Columella, Lucius Junius Moderato; Columella, Lucius Iunius Moderatus, from Gades in Spain, I in. n. e., a Roman writer. He served in the position of military tribune in Syria and Cilicia, then settled in Latium at Ardea, where he managed his estate. After the agricultural treatises of Cato the Elder and Varro was he enriched the Roman literature in this area a special manual on economy (De re rustica) in 12 books. The author stated in the book I basic principles of farming, in II - information on agricultural work, in III-V - taught how to care for trees and process the vineyard, in VI-IX kn. He described the breeding of livestock, fish and bees.

Among a distinguished book written in hexameter vergilievskimi X, telling about gardening. It is like a complement to Georgica Virgil, who developed this theme. This poetic part was to complete a full exposition of the doctrine of economic management. At the request of another K. added XI book, which lists the responsibilities of the owner-landlord, and in the XII book - the honors. Of the earlier works on agriculture remained Treatise on trees (Liber de arboribus) by the same author, the content of which anticipates the books III and IV of the later benefits. Astronomical composition K. lost. K. used Greek sources, from the Latin as - C (A. Cornelia) and Cato the Elder, but mainly he drew on personal experience. Repeatedly, he describes his experiments. K. a proponent of intensive farming based on agriculture. The product K. - Not a dry lecture, it can be found glorification of rural life, admiration for the farmer, and fervent love for nature. His presentation of clear and precise style and language is extremely simple, without sophisticated expressions. Composing K. was popular in the Middle Ages. It does not copied because of its literary merit, but for practical purposes. From 1470 to 1655 he. came 63 print edition of this work.