Hero, De machinis bellicis, Venice, 1572, contemporary limp vellum

HERO OF BYZANTIUM

De machinis bellicis necnon liber de geodaesia [translated by Francesco Barozzi]. Venice: Francesco de' Franceschi, 1572

4to (203 x 146mm.), woodcut device on title-page, woodcut initials and headpieces, woodcut illustrations, contemporary limp vellum, lacking 2 pairs of ties

FIRST EDITION of this anonymous tenth-century text on military engineering, in the Latin translation of Barozzi. Its connections with Byzantium are shown by the references in the text (for example to the Hippodrome in the Geodaesia). The attribution to the invented Hero of Byzantium is a result of the name Hero appearing on the title-page and is kept as a convenient reference.

LITERATURE:

Edit16 22647

PROVENANCE:

Hieronymus Saphus, inscription on title-page; Augustinians of S. Jacobus Maior of Bologna, library stamp on title-page; Thomas Francis Fremantle, armorial bookplate, purchased from Pickering & Chatto, 7 June 1899, £1-5s