Statue of Columella in Flowers Square Cadiz Spain Canvas Print

Lucius Junius Moderatus Columella ( 4 – c. 70 AD) is the most important writer on agriculture of the Roman empire. Little is known of his life. He was probably born in Gades, Hispania Baetica (modern Cadiz), possibly of Roman parents. After a career in the army (he was tribune in Syria in 35), he took up farming. His De Re Rustica in twelve volumes has been completely preserved and forms an important source on Roman agriculture, together with the works of Cato the Elder and Varro, both of which he occasionally cites. A smaller book on trees, De Arboribus, is usually attributed to him.

Columella used many sources no longer extant, to which he is one of the few references; these include Aulus Cornelius Celsus, the Carthaginian writer Mago, Tremellius Scrofa, and many Greek sources. His uncle Marcus Columella, "a clever man and an exceptional farmer" (VII.2.30), had conducted experiments in sheep breeding, crossing colourful wild rams, introduced from Africa for gladiatorial game...

Ferrol - Spain, 1963. A self taught photographer, I started as an amateur in the late 70s. My interest in rural and urban landscape, tall ships and, above all, seascapes, has taken me to develop a photographic and editorial activity. My work has been published in specialized magazines, photography books and exhibited in Galleries. Many of my images have been purchased by private collectors. Unless otherwise stated, all images are © pabloavanzini.com, and are the exclusive intellectual property of Pablo Avanzini, as such, they are protected by US & International Copyright laws. You can use any image from this website for personal, non-commercial use provided that the following attribution requirement is fulfilled: The text "...