“Compiling such things as are related by different authors among the ancients, concerning agriculture, and the care of plants, and of things raised from seed, and many other useful things, I composed this book.”
Geoponika (
Γεωπονικά) is a Greek word that, as the subtitle indicates, means 'agricultural pursuits'.
This work is a compendium of twenty books in which a broad overview of Byzantine agronomic techniques is offered. This rich manuscript represents the work of the greatest Greek and Roman scholars of the time (also known as
scriptores rei rusticae), and it was dedicated to
Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus, who ruled during the tenth century.
It is a vast reading of almost 700 pages, characterized by numerous styles, one could say as many as the authors who contributed to it.
It is divided into sections, each one delving into a particular aspect of agriculture, allowing the reader to see this practice from many different perspectives.
Therefore, we can find chapters devoted to wine production, others exploring olive cultivation or the maintenance of vegetable gardens, and so on. A large section analyses the role of domestic animals, possibly more valued in the past than they are today.
Another interesting topic is the influence of astronomy on agriculture: notions of the phases of the moon, and the stars, are highlighted to underline their importance as a productive engine of agricultural practice.
It is a weighty but edifying text.
Happy reading!
or download it in PDF, MOBI or EPUBDownloads:
Thomas Owen - Geoponika: Agricultural pursuits.pdf
Thomas Owen - Geoponika: Agricultural pursuits.mobi
Thomas Owen - Geoponika: Agricultural pursuits.epub
