Hyginus, Gromaticus Das Feldmesserbuch

Ein Meisterwerk der spätantiken Buchkunst

Land surveying was an important discipline in the technically advanced world of the Roman Empire. The art of field measurement played a fundamental role in the construction of temples and legionary forts, in urban planning, road construction and even land allocation. One of the most important texts in this discipline is the so-called Surveyor's Book (Latin: De limitibus constituendis) by the author Hyginus Gromaticus from the 1st century AD. Among other things, this work has been preserved in two richly illustrated manuscripts, the illustrations of which are presented in this volume. The volume offers the first ever German translation of the Feldmesserbuch. A detailed introduction explains the philological background and the significance for technology, mathematics, astronomy and legal history. The synoptic Latin and German text contains around 130 unique, partly late antique illustrations that illustrate the facts described.