Mariano Taccola was born in Siena in 1381. His father was a wine merchant named Jacopo. His mother's name was Madonna Nofria (Bacci). The name he was given at his baptism was Mariano Daniello. Taccola himself used the name Ser Mariani Jacobi decti. He had many different jobs. Records show Taccola had been a wood carver who made church ornaments. He was a public official, a secretary to a hospital. Taccola was also a sculptor and an engineer. Most of the details about his life come from his books. Taccola started his first book, "De ingeneis", in 1419. He completed it in 1433. The book probably led to his being appointed supervisor of roads and hydraulic engineering. He retired from this position sometime in the 1440s. Taccola's second book, "De machinis", appeared in 1449. It contained updated drawings from "De ingeneis" as well as many new drawings. It appears he lived in Siena his entire life. Taccola received a pension from the city for his administrative work. In 1453 he stopped receiving his pension meaning he may have died that year. But in another document dated 1453 he wrote he had become a friar in the "Order of San Jacomo". 