Mario Pieri (1860-1913) left a strong impact on many areas of 20th century mathematics. A prominent disciple of two Italian schools at the University of Turin, namely that of Segre (algebraic geometry) and Peano (logic), Pieri's own research influenced many 20th mathematicians in such fields as algebraic and differential geometry, inversive geometry, number theory, and logic.

The Legacy of Mario Pieri in Arithmetic and Geometry is the first of two volumes that together will provide a broad picture of Pieri's work. In this volume, English translations are given for two of Pieri's most important results: his postulates for arithmetic, which Peano judged superior to his own, and his foundation of elementary geometry on the basis of point and sphere, which Alfred Tarski used as a basis for his own system. Additionally, his papers are examined in relation to the research of others, notably Peano and Tarski.