Vitruvius
In book seven's introduction Vitruvius goes through great lengths to present why he is qualified to write De Architectura. This is the only location in the book where Vitruvius specifically addresses his personal breadth of knowledge. Similar to a modern reference section, the author's position as one who is knowledgeable and educated is established. The topics range across many fields of expertise reflecting that in Roman times as today construction is a diverse field. Vitruvius is clearly a well-read man. In addition to providing his qualification, Vitruvius summarizes a recurring theme throughout the 10 books, a non-trivial and core contribution of his treatise outside simply a construction book. Vitruvius makes the point that the work of some of the most talented are unknown, while many who are of lesser talent but greater political position are famous. This theme runs through Vitruvius’s ten books repeatedly - echoing an implicit prediction that his works and himself will also be unknown. Which was true for over a thousand years after he completed the 10 books. Vitruvius illustrates this point by naming what he considers are the most talented individuals in history. Implicitly challenging the reader that they have never heard of some of these people. Vitruvius goes on and predicts that some of these individuals will be forgotten and their works will be lost. While other less deserving political characters of history will be forever remembered with pageantry - again an non-trivial claim when we remember that this is the builder of Julius Caesar's war machines and fortifications; the inclusion of this list is important to illustrate the truth of Vitruvius's claim and should not be removed. The red links below (some of the blue links only exist as stubs based on Vitruvius's list and short narratives) do not have a Wikipedia page and outside of inclusion on Vitruvius’s list under a categorization, nothing is known of them. Ironically, they may be unknown because the ancient Library of Alexandria was accidentally burned in 48 BC during a siege by Julius Caesar. Vitruvius does not mention the architecture of Egypt so was probably not involved in this siege. List of physicists Thales, Democritus, Anaxagoras, Xenophanes List of philosophers Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Zeno, Epicurus List of kings Croesus, Alexander the Great, Darius On plagiarism Aristophanes, Ptolemy I Soter, Attalus On abusing dead authors Zoilus Homeromastix, Ptolemy II Philadelphus On divergence of the visual rays Agatharchus, Aeschylus, Democritus, Anaxagoras List of writers on temples Silenus, Theodorus, Chersiphron and Metagenes, Ictinus and Carpion, Theodorus the Phocian, Hermogenes, Arcesius, Satyrus and Pytheos List of Artists Leochares, Bryaxis, Scopas, Praxiteles, Timotheus (Timotheos) List of writers on laws of symmetry Nexaris, Theocydes, Demophilus, Pollis, Leonidas, Silanion, Melampus, Sarnacus, Euphranor List of writers on machinery Diades of Pella, Archytas, Archimedes, Ctesibius, Nymphodorus, Philo of Byzantium, Diphilus, Democles, Charias, Polyidus of Thessaly, Pyrrus, Agesistratus, Abdaraxus List of writers on architecture Fuficius, Terentius Varro, Publius Septimius (writer) List of architects Antistates, Callaeschrus, Antimachides, Pormus, Cossutius List of greatest temple architects Chersiphron of Gnosus, Metagenes, Demetrius, Paeonius the Milesian, Ephesian Daphnis, Ictinus, (Philo) Philon, Cossutius, Gaius Muc