; 1. The tasks and aims of a historical study of the theory of structures -- ; 2. Learning from history: 12 introductory essays -- ; 3. The first fundamental engineering science disciplines: theory of structures and applied mechanics -- ; 4. From masonry arch to elastic arch -- ; 5. The history of earth pressure theory -- ; 6. The beginnings of a theory of structures -- ; 7. The discipline-formation period of theory of structures -- ; 8. From construction with iron to modern structural steelwork -- ; 9. Member analysis conquers the third dimension: the spatial framework -- ; 10. Reinforced concrete's influence on theory of structures -- ; 11. The consolidation period of theory of structures -- ; 12. The development and establishment of computational statics -- ; 13. Thirteen scientific controversies in mechanics and theory of structures -- ; 14. Perspectives for a historical theory of structures -- ; 15. Brief biographies of 260 protagonists of theory of structures.