In modern literary theory, scientific literature is understood as a "non -artistic" language manifestation. However, latin general scientific works consistently follow the principle docere ac delectare, fulfilling the definition of a "literary work". Therefore they deserve a leterary theoretical analysis, incl. modern genre characteristic replacing the current ambiguous genre allocation.The project focuses on identical formal features of preserved scholarly works written by Gellius, Macrobius, Martianus Capella, and partially by Plinius Senior and Cassiodorus Senator. It will also strive to explain the causes of deversity concerning the socio-cultural backround of the works and to answer the question if and to what extent the genre allocation can be limited by historical changes. The genre analysis will involve examinig the relation of individual works to the instituonalized system of seven liberal arts, the support of which all of them show. The main project output will be a monographic study containing a revised genre characteristic of antique general scientific literature.

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