The Ten Books on Architecture

Vitruvius

• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Year: 2012
• eBook ISBN: 9780486132051
• Topic: Architecture
• Subtopic: Architecture General

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, a Roman architect and engineer flourishing in the first century B.C., was the author of the oldest and most influential work on architecture in existence. For hundreds of years, the specific instructions he gave in his "Ten Books on Architecture" were followed faithfully, and major buildings in all parts of the world reveal the widespread influence of his precepts. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, he was "the chief authority studied by architects, and in every point his precepts were accepted as final. Bramante, Michelangelo, Palladio, Vignola, and earlier were careful students of the work of Vitruvius." His book is thus one of those rare works that have been supremely important in the creation of the greatest art masterpieces.
Vitruvius describes the classic principles of symmetry, harmony, and proportion in architecture; the design of the treasury, prison, senate house, baths, forum, and temples; the construction of the theater: its site, foundations, and acoustics; the proper style and proportion for private dwellings; the differences between the Ionic, Doric, and Corinthian styles; methods of giving durability and beauty to polished finishings; and many other topics that help us understand the methods and beliefs of the Roman architect.
It is a direct, authoritative, and detailed introduction to the ancients' methods of construction, the materials of the architect, and the prevailing aesthetic beliefs of the times; but it is also a work of art. Vitruvius wrote in such a fascinating manner, and digressed from his subject so often (as, for instance, when he wrote about the winds, Archimedes in his bath, and why authors should receive awards and honors at least as often as athletes), that his book has had a continuing appeal to the general reader for many centuries. Besides being an instructive treatise on nearly everything connected with Roman and Greek architecture, it is an entertaining description of some aspects of the life and beliefs of the times. This edition is the standard English translation, prepared over a period of several years by Professor M. H. Morgan of Harvard University.

INDEX

INDEX

Abacus

*Aβατον

Abdera

Acanthus pattern, origin of

Accius

Acoustics, of the site of a theatre

Acroteria

Aequians have springs which produce goitre

Aeruca (verdigris)

Aeschylus

Aesculapi s, proper site for temple of; temple of, at Tralles

Aetna

Africa

Agatharcus

Agesistratus

Agger (river)

Agnus castus (tree)

’Aκροβατικóν

Alabanda; temple of Apollo at

Alae, of house; of temples

Albula (river)

Alder

Alexander

Alexandria; length of shadow of gnomon at

Alexis (poet)

Altars

Altino

Aluminous springs

Amiternum, stone quarries of

Ammon

Amphiprostyle

Amphithalamos

Amyntas

Analemma; its applications

Anaphoric dial

Anaxagoras

Ancona

Andreas

Andromeda (constellation)

Andron of Ephesus

Andrones

Andronicus of Cyrrhus

Antae; temple in antis

Antiborean (sun dial)

Antimachides

Antiochus

Antipater

Antistates

Apaturius

Apelles

Apollo; Panionion; colossal statue of; temple of, at Alabanda; at Miletus; at Rome; site of temple of

Apollonia; siege of

Apollonius

Apollonius of Perga

Aqueducts; Marcian

Aquileia

Arabia

Arachne (sun dial)

Aradus

Araeostyle temples; proportions of columns in

Aratus

Arcadia

Arcesius

Arched substructures

Archer (constellation)

Archimedes; detects a theft of gold by a contractor

Archinapolus (astrologer)

Architecture, fundamental principles of; departments of

Architrave

Archytas of Tarentum

Arcturus (star)

Ardea

Arevanias

Arezzo, ancient wall of brick at

Argo (constellation)

Argolis, precinct of Juno at

Argos

Ariobarzanes

Aristarchus

— — of Samos

Aristides

Aristippus, shipwreck of

Aristomenes of Thasos

Aristophanes; grammaticus

Aristotle

Aristoxenus

Armenian blue

‘Aρπεδóναɩ (star group)

Arrow (constellation)

Arsenal, naval, at Peiraeus

Arsinoe

Artemisia

Artemon (’Eπάγων)

Asphalt; asphaltic springs; lake Asphaltitis

“Aσπληνον

Assafoetida grown in Cyrene

Astansoba (river)

Astoboa (river)

Astragals

Astrology

Athens; colonnades at; temple of Minerva at; length of shadow of gnomon at

Athos, Mt.

“Aτλαντες

Atlantides

Atlas

Atrium; proportions of

Attalus

Attic doorways

Aurelius, Marcus

Aventine

Babylon

Bacchus, proper site for temple of; Ionic order appropriate to; temple of, at Teos

Baiae

Bakeries

Balance (constellation)

Balconies in forum

Balearic Isles

Ballistae, rules for making

Bankers’ offices

Barns

Bαρoνλκóς

Bases, Ionic

Basilica ; of Vitruvius at Fano

Bathrooms ; of farmhouse

Baths

Beast (constellation)

Bedrooms

Beech

Berosus

Bilberry, used to make purple

Bird (constellation)

Black

Block (rechamus)

Blue

Body, proportions of

Boedas of Byzantium

Boeotia

Bolsena, lake of

Borer, principle of

Boscoreale, villa rustica at

Bowl (constellation)

Breakwaters

Brick; test of

Bright (Pephrasmenos), inventor of battering ram

Bryaxis

Bucket-pump

Bug (river)

Bull (constellation)

Burnt-ochre

Buttresses

Byzantium

Cadiz

Caecuban (wine)

Caesar, Julius

Callaeschrus

Callias of Aradus

Callimachus (κατατηξlτεχνος)

Callippus

Campania

Campus Cornetus

Canon of water organ

Canopus (star)

Capitals, Ionic.; Corinthian.; Doric; of triglyphs

Capitol, hut of Romulus on; temple on

Cappadocia

Carpion

Carthage

Caryae

Caryatides

Casius (town in Egypt)

Cassiopea (constellation)

Castor, temple of

Catacecaumenites (wine)

Catapults.; stringing and tuning of

Cataract of Nile

Catheti

Caucasus

Cavaedium

Cedar

Ceilings of baths

Cella; of circular temple

Celtica

Censer (constellation)

Centaur...

Table of contents

• DOVER BOOKS ON ARCHITECTURE
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• PREFACE
• Table of Contents
• BOOK I
• BOOK II
• BOOK III
• BOOK IV
• BOOK V
• BOOK VI
• BOOK VII
• BOOK VIII
• BOOK IX
• BOOK X
• SCAMILLI IMPARES (BOOK m, ch. 4)
• INDEX
• A CATALOG OF SELECTED DOVER BOOKS IN ALL FIELDS OF INTEREST