Why did Aldus Manutius introduce italic type in his pocket-sized books?

Aldus Manutius introduced italic type in his pocket-sized books primarily for economic and practical reasons. As a printer-publisher, Manutius sought to make classical literature more accessible by producing inexpensive, portable editions for the growing number of readers influenced by the humanist movement.12

To achieve this, he commissioned the type designer Francesco Griffo to create a compact, sloping typeface based on the informal, handwritten letters used in papal chanceries. Because these italic letters were narrower than standard roman type, more text could fit on each page. This space-saving design allowed Manutius to print longer works in fewer pages, significantly reducing production costs and enabling the creation of the iconic "pocket editions" that defined the Aldine Press.321