Chemisches bei Caesar. De bello Gallico...

In his “Gallic War”, Caesar alredy mentioned several materials, the production of which required a certain chemical knowledge, for example iron needed for weapons, woad for body painting, or wine. In this article the knowledge in manufacturing these and some other products at the time of the ancient Romans is described, with special regard to Pliny the Elder's Historia naturalis. It becomes evident that it is worth looking at the works of ancient authors from a chemical‐historical point of view.