Which Roman author wrote the agricultural manual De agri cultura?

Cato the Elder wrote De agri cultura, the oldest surviving work of Latin prose.

Also known as On Farming or On Agriculture, De agri cultura is a practical treatise on managing land and agricultural production in the Roman Republic. Its author, Marcus Porcius Cato, was a statesman, soldier, and influential defender of traditional Roman values. He is commonly called Cato the Elder to distinguish him from his descendant Cato the Younger.

The manual covers vineyards, crop management, livestock, household work, food preparation, and religious rituals. Cato also discusses labor organization and enslaved workers, providing valuable evidence about the economic and social structure of Roman farming. His direct style often makes the work resemble a farmer’s notebook rather than a polished literary composition.

A common mix-up is Pliny the Elder, whose Natural History later quoted Cato extensively. Virgil wrote the Georgics, a poetic treatment of agriculture, while Cicero was primarily known for speeches, philosophy, and political writing. De agri cultura is therefore specifically associated with Cato the Elder and stands at the beginning of surviving Latin prose literature.