He was born in Siena, Italy, the son of a
physician. He became a physician himself and practiced
in several towns and successively to various members
of the aristocracy until he died of the plague in
1577.
His principal work was Commentarii in Sex Libros
Pedacii Dioscorides (1544). It was translated into
many languages and appeared in 60 editions as it
became the standard text on Dioscorides. It was one of
the most widely read books on botany of the period.
First editions alone included 32,000 copies. He
traveled in Italy and Austria. Many people sent plants
to him and he became "a magnet of botanical
information." The Latin editions made Mattioli
available to every student of botany and medicine in
Europe.
