On Architecture (Penguin Classics)

Written in the first century BC, this monumental treatise stands as the sole surviving architectural text from classical antiquity. Across ten encyclopedic books, the Roman engineer and architect Vitruvius outlines the essential principles of his craft, detailing everything from the layout of public squares and the construction of temples to the mechanics of military engines and the mathematics of human proportion. This edition, meticulously translated by Richard Schofield with an insightful introduction by Robert Tavernor, brings the practical wisdom of ancient Rome to life for contemporary readers.

What makes this volume so extraordinary is its unparalleled historical legacy. Having vanished for centuries, its rediscovery during the Italian Renaissance sparked a massive classical revival, serving as the direct inspiration for masterworks by Leon Battista Alberti, Michelangelo, and Palladio. Vitruvius’s prose is a fascinating blend of practical manual, philosophical inquiry, and civic pride, offering a rare, first-hand look at how the Romans conceptualized the relationship between human beings and the built environment.

This Penguin Classics edition is an essential addition to the libraries of architects, historians, and designers seeking to understand the deep roots of their discipline. It is equally compelling for anyone fascinated by Roman history, classical philosophy, or the enduring relationship between symmetry, nature, and human civilization.