Divina Mens: Imperial Propaganda in De architectura 6.1

This paper, framed by “racecraft” theory (Fields and Fields 2012), argues that the first chapter of Book VI of Vitruvius’ De architectura positions the Roman state led by Augustus—established at the temperate middle of the ecumene by the “divine intellect” (divina mens)—as imbued with the tools to expand its territory at this critical point in the nation’s history. Exploring Vitruvius as a transitory figure, existing within both the late Republic and the early Principate, I argue that we can understand how his reception of environmental determinism theory placed Italy and its people between racial and climatic extremes.