The Vitruvian Man

The Man Behind Da Vinci's Timeless Drawing

By: David Aucsmith

Narrated by: Philip Battley

Leonardo da Vinci’s famous drawing Vitruvian Man comes from a description by the ancient Roman architect Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, who wrote the only major work on architecture or engineering to survive from classical antiquity.

Vitruvius remains a mystery. We know he was not wellborn and that he was exceptionally well educated. Yet, he held the position of military engineer under Julius Caesar and took part in many of Caesar’s campaigns. He also counted Octavian as his patron later in life.

This novel imagines the early life of Marcus Vitruvius Pollio as he might have told it in his memoirs, and as he might have lived it in the shadow of monumental events.

It begins as 18-year-old, where Vitruvius’s comfortable world shatters when his father is murdered while in Rome, seeking money to repay loans on the family farm and land.

In his father’s possessions, Vitruvius finds a mysterious scroll which places he and his family in mortal danger.

Vitruvius travels to Rome with his tutor’s niece to secure money to keep his family’s land and to grapple with his father’s murder.

Those who sent the scroll pursue them, and he must somehow disentangle his family from Republic politics and avoid the executioner’s noose.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2023 David Aucsmith (P)2023 David Aucsmith

Captures Your Attention

Aucsmith deftly pulls us into ancient Rome, its political intrigues, and murder. A budding romance adds to the overall story.

Great Listen

To the author - and Phillip Battley, thank you for a great day of listening to the Vitruvian Man. I look forward to more books from you in the future. Delightful and entertaining. Thanks.

Great narration, and fascinating fictional story about a man we know little about

I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I lived this book! Learned, funny, fascinating. Tge narrator was perfect for the text. I’d love a sequel!

Captivating Tale of Intrigue - Unpluggable!

This story brings ancient Rome to life. It is well plotted, suspenseful, the time period intriguing, characters well-developed and engaging, and the narration excellent. My favorite genres are mystery and historic fiction and this book combines the two. I’ve listened to audiobooks for over 10 years and this is an easy five stars. What do you call an audiobook that’s a page-turner – an “unpluggable?” This is.

The author, David Aucsmith, tightly interweaves his narrative about the early life of Vitruvius with real events and well-known historic personalities. I found it intriguing to learn about the Catilin conspiracy and Rome as it was transitioning from being a republic to becoming an autocracy.

I enjoyed following the development of the relationship between Vitruvius and Aemelia, a young woman from his village who has studied to become a Medicus (Roman doctor) and shares his journey to Rome. Their adventures are exciting, sometimes humorous, and their struggles poignant.

Philip Battley is an excellent narrator, breathing life into the characters. He was a pleasure to listen to.

Hoping for a sequel! Highly recommend!