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TITVS SABATINVS AQVILIVS · 06-19-2002, 09:21 AM

Why, after all, we don't know so much (or at least, not how much we'd like to know...) about the roman Army? 
 
Where are those accurate military manuals, we can expect from a people like the Romans? 
If I'm not wrong, Polibius gave us examples that suggest to us that everything was strictly codified... 
 
I can guess those manuals were made and written in a lot of copies (besides I guess it was normal that any legion could have several of them for instruction and officers' consultation). Is it possible that none of those hundreds and hundreds of copies did not come to us? 
 
So, were they ignored on purpose in the medieval transcriptions to avoid that other armies or powers could learn too much from such excellent guides, or what? 
 
Ualete 
 
Titus Sabatinus Aquilius

06-19-2002, 10:06 AM

Salve, 
 
It is very doubtful that the Roman military had ever an extensive corpus of official documentation that detailed official doctrine like modern armies tend to produce (e.g. U.S. Army). Only a limited number of military manuals of some sort are known from Roman times, a selection of which has survived, and these are in part not even dealing with contemporary military affairs, but contain historical or imaginary material. Such works appear to have been composed on private initiative rather than with official sponsoring, even if these publications are at times addressed or dedicated to the emperor. Such works could be used by officers in addition to direct advice from friends and acquaintances, either through correspondence or by taking them along on assignment. The latter method however seems to have been the main source of instruction rather than written manuals. A greater number has survived from Byzantine times. To some extent these seem practical guides, though there are also indications that such volumes may have been aimed primarily as a work of literature rather than a manual intended for actual use. 
 
As there were few such works available to begin with, it is hardly surprising that not that many have survived the middle ages. However what was available was copied and studied though. Vegetius was one of the most widespread secular books of medieval times, surviving in numerous copies and at times subject of adaptation to suit contemporary conditions. Charlemagne required his senior officers to have be educated men, and both the Epitoma and Strategemata were at their disposal. Frankish warfare was heavily influenced by the Roman example, in part a result of continuing tradition, in part because of following writings like those of Vegetius. 
 
On the use of manuals by Roman officers: 
 
Campbell, B., 'Teach yourself how to be a general' in: Journal of Roman Studies 77 (1987), 13-29. 
 
Some further publications: 
 
Bosworth, A.B., 'Arrian and the Alani' in: Harvard Studies in Classical Philology 81 (1977), 217-255. 
Dennis, G.T., Maurice's Strategikon. handbook of Byzantine military strategy ( Philadelphia 1984)178p. 
Devine, A.M., 'Polybius' lost tactica: the ultimate source for the tactical manuals of Asclepiodotus, Aelian and Arrian in: AHB 9.1 (1995), 40-44. 
Devine, A.M., 'Arrian's 'Tactica'' in: ANRW II 34-1 (1993), 312-317. 
DeVoto, J.G., Flavius Arrianus: TechnÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¨ Taktika (Tactical handbook) and Ektaxis kata Alanoon (The expedition against the Alans) (Chicago 1993) 132p. 
Hyland, A., Training the Roman cavalry from Arrian's Tactica (Alan Sutton 1993). 
Krentz, P. and E.L. Wheeler, Polyaenus. Stratagems of war Volumes I & II (Chicago 1994) 1091p. 
Miller, M.C.J., and J.G. DeVoto, Polybius and Pseudo-Hyginus: the fortification of the Roman camp (Chicago 1994) 120p. 
Milner, N.P., Vegetius: epitome of military science (Liverpool 1993) 152p. 
Neumann, A.R., 'Das MilitÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¤rhandbuch des Kaisers Augustus' in: Klio 16 (1933), 1-10. 
Neumann, A.R., 'Das augusteisch-hadrianische Armeereglement und Vegetius' in: Classical Philology 31 (1936), 14-16. 
Neumann, A.R., 'Das rÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¶mische Heeresreglement' in: Classical Philology 41 (1946), 217-225. 
Wheeler, E.L., Stratagem and the vocabulary of military trickery (Leiden 1988) 124p. 
 
See also the page on Roman sources from Elton's site. 
 
For the Byzantine manuals see this page by H. Elton which lists the lot of them. 
 
Regards, 
 
Sander van Dorst 
 
On Vegetius in the Middle Ages 
 
Over three hundred manuscripts of Vegetius have survived from the middle ages, some in pocket sized folding manuscripts. Of various medieval commanders, among others Edward I, it is known that they had copies available to them in library collections. Numerous medieval works incorporated parts of Vegetius, among them Rhabanus Maurus (9th century), a Carolingian scholar who made a version for modern times, Vincent de Beauvais in Speculum maius Denis the Carthusian's De vita militarium, Giles of Rome's De regimine principium and Modestus. Numerous translations were made into vernacular languages, ao English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Portugese and Hebrew. Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showLocalUserPublicProfile?login=sandervandorst>Sander van Dorst</A> at: 6/21/02 7:18:54 pm

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