The word 'Encyclopeida' is a Greek word meaning complete knowledge. The oldest Encyclopedia - Naturalis Historia is dated back to in ca. 77 CE. It was written by Roman author and natural philosopher Pliny the Elder.

During 4th-5th century, Martianus Capella wrote The wedding of Mercury and Philologia which had huge influence on the successive medieval encyclopedias.Thedivision and classification were also first time introduced in the encyclopedia. However, Saint Isidore of Seville is considered to be the author of the first known Middle Ages encyclopedia.