"The first treatise ever written on the sociology of cities, Giovanni Botero's On the Causes of the Greatness and Magnificence of Cities (1588) marked a radical departure from previous literature on urban centres. It provided a revolutionary analysis of how cities function, and of the political, economic, demographic, and geographic factors that cause their growth and decline. Noteworthy too is Botero's original use of sources in his analysis: moving beyond familiar classical and biblical references, he drew remarkable insights from reports by travelers and missionaries about cities in the non-European world, especially in China. Though seminal in the history of urban studies, On the Causes of the Greatness and Magnificence of Cities has not been available in a modern English translation until now. This edition--which includes an introduction by Geoffrey Symcox on the intellectual context within which Botero's treatise was conceived--is a must-read for anyone interested in urban life and the development of cities."--Dust jacket.