Why did monastic libraries preserve copies of Pliny the Elder’s Natural History?

Monastic libraries preserved copies of Pliny the Elder’s Natural History primarily because it served as a vital substitute for a general education following the decline of the ancient world.1

As the Greek texts upon which Pliny had heavily relied were lost to Western Europe, his encyclopaedic work became an unchallenged authority on scientific and natural matters. Because there was a lack of more reliable information available during the Middle Ages, monastic scholars relied on his methodical assembly of facts, which covered a vast array of subjects including cosmology, geography, zoology, botany, and medicine.12

While the work contained fables and unsupported claims, it remained a foundational text for those seeking to understand the nature of things. Monasteries, which functioned as the primary centers for book production and preservation, maintained these copies to ensure the survival of classical tradition and knowledge within their collections.13