Vitruvius facts for kids

A Greek house plan, as desctibed by Vitruvius

Vitruvius (probably Marcus Vitruvius Pollio) was an Ancient Roman architect and engineer who lived in the 1st century BC. Neither his name, Marcus, nor his cognomen Pollio are certain. His main work is called De architectura (About architecture). There are ten books in it. He was probably born between 80 and 70 BC in Campania, and died after 15 BC.

Images for kids

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  A 1684 depiction of Vitruvius (right) presenting De Architectura to Augustus

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  Vitruvian Man by Leonardo da Vinci, an illustration of the human body inscribed in the circle and the square derived from a passage about geometry and human proportions in Vitruvius' writings

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  Battle of Thapsus as depicted in an engraving after Andrea Palladio

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  Drainage wheel from Rio Tinto mines

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  Design for an Archimedean water-screw

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  Ruins of the hypocaust under the floor of a Roman villa. The part under the exedra is covered.