“Ten Books can be a hard thing to read. That said, once you get going its not bad, and I actually found myself enjoying it.” Reddit · r/architecture · 11 years ago
: This is the most famous and accessible classic translation from 1914. While older, it is highly regarded for its clarity and is available in affordable illustrated reproductions. Vitruvius, the Ten Books on Architecture
: This is the premier scholarly guide. It moves beyond viewing Vitruvius as a simple "summarizer" and instead presents him as an inventive thinker. It includes a full translation along with a critical commentary that explains the historical and technical context of each book. “Ten Books can be a hard thing to read
Vitruvius designed the work to be a complete manual for the architect, who he believed should be educated in everything from geometry to music. : Architect's education and city planning. Book 2 : Building materials (brick, sand, lime, and stone). : This is the premier scholarly guide
: A specialized guide that provides a translation with a facing commentary focused on technical points of interest and how Vitruvius' work compared to later Roman manuals. Content Overview of the Ten Books
: Temples and the classical orders (Ionic, Doric, Corinthian). Book 5 : Public buildings like theaters, baths, and harbors. Book 6 : Domestic architecture (private houses). Book 7 : Interior finishes, floors, and wall paintings. Book 8 : Water supply and hydraulic engineering. Book 9 : Astronomy, sundials, and clocks. Book 10 : Machines for civil and military use. Perspective from the Community