fl. c. 44

Roman geographer whose system of five temperature zones remains in use today. In A.D. 44 Mela introduced his system in De situ orbis, a geographical work destined to have enormous impact. The book, which divided Earth into north frigid, north temperate, torrid, south temperate, and south frigid zones, later influenced the work of Pliny the Elder (c. 23-79) and others. Unlike many works of antiquity, it has remained influential well into modern times.