2000 years since the birth of Pliny the Elder

The article is timed to the 2000th anniversary of the birth of Pliny the Elder (23–79 A.D.), the author of «Natural History», in which two last volumes are devoted to rocks and minerals. Attention is drawn to the fact that he was the first to fix polyhedron attributes (faces, edges, vertices) on perfect natural crystals. It was not until 16 centuries later that their measurements led to the empirical laws of N. Steno (1638–1686) and R. J. Haüy (1743–1822). Translations from «Natural History» are given according to V. M. Severgin, descriptions of the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 are taken from the XVI letter to Tacitus by Pliny Jr. The purpose of the article is to accurately set the stage for the history of mineralogy and crystallography. It is aimed at historians of science, as well as teachers, graduate students and students of geological faculties of universities. The citation of old and ancient authors in the article is important to prove the main thesis — the priority of Pliny the Elder, and also aims to attract young researchers to read primary sources.