American Scientist

Engineering is as old as civilization, but the concept of the engineer as distinct from the architect or master builder is relatively modern. This is not to say that there were no engineers in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. As Vitruvius's Ten Books of Architecture makes clear, in ancient times individuals whom today we would call engineers were devising ingenious schemes and designing machinery to move construction materials and to storm fortifications. Such engineers were closely associated with military objectives and the organization of army-like workforces. The special talents of engineers to ensure the operation and security of walled cities were military assets, and the work of the engineers was naturally associated with military ends.