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De Re Militari (Concerning Military Affairs): the Classic Treatise on Warfare at the Pinnacle of the Roman Empire's Power
A classic of the ancient world of warfare
De Re Militari (Concerning Military Affairs), written in the 5th century by Vegetius and translated from the original Latin, is a treatise on warfare in the Roman world and is vital reading for any modern student of the subject as it clearly outlines the methods and practices of the type of warfare waged by the Roman Empire at the height of its power. So influential was Vegetius' book that it was considered as an essential field-guide well into the age of gunpowder. The author covers a broad range of military topics including the selection of personnel suitable for military service, training, logistics and supply, the qualities of leadership and command as well as tactical and strategic matters.
Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.
De Re Militari (Concerning Military Affairs), written in the 5th century by Vegetius and translated from the original Latin, is a treatise on warfare in the Roman world and is vital reading for any modern student of the subject as it clearly outlines the methods and practices of the type of warfare waged by the Roman Empire at the height of its power. So influential was Vegetius' book that it was considered as an essential field-guide well into the age of gunpowder. The author covers a broad range of military topics including the selection of personnel suitable for military service, training, logistics and supply, the qualities of leadership and command as well as tactical and strategic matters.
Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.
112 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 350
153 people are currently reading
1249 people want to read
About the author
Vegetius
35 books12 followersPublius Flavius Vegetius Renatus, commonly referred to simply as Vegetius, was a writer of the Later Roman Empire. Nothing is known of his life or station beyond what is contained in his two surviving works: Epitoma rei militaris, and the lesser-known Digesta Artis Mulomedicinae, a guide to veterinary medicine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
July 27, 2022
This is a short book about the exemplary Roman army in the view of the author.
Plot. Rating 5
I think that despite the small amount of text, Vegetius was able to tell about many aspects of the Roman army. The plot contains brief recommendations on the military art of the Romans. Most of the information is fairly general, but there are some interesting details in the book. For example, the Romans constantly trained horses to swim, and legionnaires were trained to jump on a horse with a sword or spear in hand. The fourth part of the book seemed to me the most interesting, containing details of sieges and naval warfare.
Characters. Rating 4
With all my diligence, I was unable to find the main and secondary characters. One of the characters is the "invincible emperor", to whom the treatise is dedicated. There are rare references to some historical figures in the book. Also, when selecting legions, they took into account the psychology of the recruit: they selected people prone to war. In general, since this is an antique source, a rating of 4 should be given.
Dialogues. Rating 4
Serious difficulties also arose with this point. To pass it, I had to classify several questions as dialogues in this monument of ancient literature.
Writing style. Rating 4
The book is written in a dry and informative style. It contains the usual for antiquity appeals to the emperor and readers.
Worldbuilding. Rating 5
It's excellent considering the size of the book. Detailed recommendations on the recruitment and training of recruits, setting up the camp, marches, weapons, scouting, and so on. The complete structure of the Roman legion, its tactics and battle formations are shown. There are instructions on preparing and conducting battles. I liked such instructions as detecting enemy spies in the camp by entering the tents of the entire army, painting scout ships in aquamarine along with sails, and other rare details.
Conclusion. Overall rating 5
I think the lack of characters and dialogue shouldn't detract from the excellent quality of the book.
Plot. Rating 5
I think that despite the small amount of text, Vegetius was able to tell about many aspects of the Roman army. The plot contains brief recommendations on the military art of the Romans. Most of the information is fairly general, but there are some interesting details in the book. For example, the Romans constantly trained horses to swim, and legionnaires were trained to jump on a horse with a sword or spear in hand. The fourth part of the book seemed to me the most interesting, containing details of sieges and naval warfare.
Characters. Rating 4
With all my diligence, I was unable to find the main and secondary characters. One of the characters is the "invincible emperor", to whom the treatise is dedicated. There are rare references to some historical figures in the book. Also, when selecting legions, they took into account the psychology of the recruit: they selected people prone to war. In general, since this is an antique source, a rating of 4 should be given.
Dialogues. Rating 4
Serious difficulties also arose with this point. To pass it, I had to classify several questions as dialogues in this monument of ancient literature.
Writing style. Rating 4
The book is written in a dry and informative style. It contains the usual for antiquity appeals to the emperor and readers.
Worldbuilding. Rating 5
It's excellent considering the size of the book. Detailed recommendations on the recruitment and training of recruits, setting up the camp, marches, weapons, scouting, and so on. The complete structure of the Roman legion, its tactics and battle formations are shown. There are instructions on preparing and conducting battles. I liked such instructions as detecting enemy spies in the camp by entering the tents of the entire army, painting scout ships in aquamarine along with sails, and other rare details.
Conclusion. Overall rating 5
I think the lack of characters and dialogue shouldn't detract from the excellent quality of the book.
September 24, 2017
This is not only a book on military training and strategy, it contains small gems of information about the relationships between others living at that time. Author Flavius Vegetius Renatus continually fawns over the emperor during the three introductions (and with good reason, no doubt) and either repeats someone else’s thoughts or injects his own at times.
On the latter statement, his comments concerning peasant recruits include the following: “They are able to endure the greatest heat of the sun, are unacquainted with the use of baths, and are strangers to the other luxuries of life.” Humorous while at the same time a revealing glimpse into the thought patterns concerning their potential soldiers.
The military information goes into detail, and the book is split into three sections that address selecting and training new recruits, organizing the army, and engagement with the enemy. If you are interested in history or want to learn more about how the Romans and others trained and fought, this is an interesting book. It is short and can be read in one to two hours. Four stars.
On the latter statement, his comments concerning peasant recruits include the following: “They are able to endure the greatest heat of the sun, are unacquainted with the use of baths, and are strangers to the other luxuries of life.” Humorous while at the same time a revealing glimpse into the thought patterns concerning their potential soldiers.
The military information goes into detail, and the book is split into three sections that address selecting and training new recruits, organizing the army, and engagement with the enemy. If you are interested in history or want to learn more about how the Romans and others trained and fought, this is an interesting book. It is short and can be read in one to two hours. Four stars.
July 16, 2021
24 sayfa not tutarak bitirdiğim, kendisi asker olmasa da yaptığı tespitleri imparatora sunan Vegetius eseri. Çeviri ve dip notlar tatmin edici. Alanla ilgili olmasanız da rahatlıkla okuyup bilgi sahibi olabilirsiniz.
March 16, 2024
F.V.Renatus, Roma Savaş Sanatı kitabını təxmini 383-399 illər arasında, imperator I Theodosius üçün yazmışdır. Bu əsər adından da məlum olduğu kimi, döyüşə hazır Legionun hazırlanması üçün fundamental qanunları, bəzi döyüş strategiyaları və məsləhətləri, mühasirə planları və çox qısa donanma haqqında məlumatlar barındırır. Əgər siz Legionun 10 kohortdan və 6100 piyada, 732 süvaridən ibarət olduğunu, pilumun (çarpışmadan anlar öncə düşməni dezorientasiya və öldürmək üçün atılan nizə) niyə spiculum ilə dəyişdirildiyini, piyadaların dar, meşəlik və təpələrdə, süvarilərin isə açıq və düz meydanda effektiv olduğunu, meydan müharibələrinin bir çox vaxt yalnız sayı üstünlüyü olduğu zaman əlverişli olduğunu və digər bunlara oxşar məlumatlar sizə maraqlıdırsa, bu kitab tam sizlikdir.
October 19, 2016
Whether you're familiar with the book or its author, it's very likely you've a famous phrase akin to, "If you wish for peace, prepare for war". The source - though somewhat misquoted, as are most famous phrases - is this text, and it was meant in the most sincerest and literal terms.
From the ways to train soldiers to how to battle elephants of war - again, literal - Vegetius gives military advice that helped the Roman Empire become what it did, and it is with some steely hope, but a little sadness, that he writes how it is possible to bring back that glory, if only the troops were as fiercely dediated as they used to be. Much of what he writes of the disinterest new troops show to warfare are strangely familiar with some of the behaviour of modern youth...
What is also interesting is that Vegetius did not actually experience the warfare he writes of greatly. He was more a historian, gathering the information from other texts and collating them. Though little used in the Roman era, it didn't put off his future readers, evidently.
It's hard not to love something that survived to instruct many future generations so aptly, though in itself was a swansong for the greatness of Roman warfare. As others note, it was a manual certainly on the shelf of every lord and knight of the middle ages (I state specifically, as reading this era is how I discovered it) who aspired to rise high on the battlefield, and without doubt in the hands of every king (well, maybe not Edward II...). For sure it was carried 'everywhere' by grand Plantagenet Richard the Lionheart, and his father, Henry II. It apparently circulated as essential to life in the time of Charlemagne.
Great little book, giving quite some insight into a last ditch effort to reclaim Rome's former glory, while setting up the rest of Europe to take the mantle.
From the ways to train soldiers to how to battle elephants of war - again, literal - Vegetius gives military advice that helped the Roman Empire become what it did, and it is with some steely hope, but a little sadness, that he writes how it is possible to bring back that glory, if only the troops were as fiercely dediated as they used to be. Much of what he writes of the disinterest new troops show to warfare are strangely familiar with some of the behaviour of modern youth...
What is also interesting is that Vegetius did not actually experience the warfare he writes of greatly. He was more a historian, gathering the information from other texts and collating them. Though little used in the Roman era, it didn't put off his future readers, evidently.
It's hard not to love something that survived to instruct many future generations so aptly, though in itself was a swansong for the greatness of Roman warfare. As others note, it was a manual certainly on the shelf of every lord and knight of the middle ages (I state specifically, as reading this era is how I discovered it) who aspired to rise high on the battlefield, and without doubt in the hands of every king (well, maybe not Edward II...). For sure it was carried 'everywhere' by grand Plantagenet Richard the Lionheart, and his father, Henry II. It apparently circulated as essential to life in the time of Charlemagne.
Great little book, giving quite some insight into a last ditch effort to reclaim Rome's former glory, while setting up the rest of Europe to take the mantle.
January 3, 2021
"Bir ordu nasıl kurulur?", "Nasıl savaşılır?" vb. askeri alandaki birçok soruya cevap veren teknik olarak yazılmış güzel bir kitap. Antik dönemlerde geçen, savaşla ilgili bir kitap veya fantasitik bir kitap yazmak isteyenlerin bu kitabı okumasını tavsiye ederim. Sun Tzu'nun Savaş Sanatı gibi herkese hitap eden bir kitap olmadığı için bu kitabı, Roma'ya veya savaşlara yeterince ilgi duymayanların okumasını pek önermiyorum.
Kitabın yazarının askeri alanda bir kariyeri yok. Kendisi kendi döneminden önce yazılmış kitapları derleyerek bu kitabı yazmış. O yüzden kitapta kusurlu olan ve yeterince anlatılmayan kısımlar var. Kitabın eksik yönlerini gidermek için Ksenephon'un Anabasis - On Binlerin'in Dönüşü adlı kitabını da okumanızı şiddetle öneririm.
Bu kitabı okuduktan sonraki ilk düşüncem, zamanda yolculuk yapıp bir generalin bedeninde uyanacak olursam eğer başarılı bir şekilde savaş yönetebileceğim oldu.
Kitabın yazarının askeri alanda bir kariyeri yok. Kendisi kendi döneminden önce yazılmış kitapları derleyerek bu kitabı yazmış. O yüzden kitapta kusurlu olan ve yeterince anlatılmayan kısımlar var. Kitabın eksik yönlerini gidermek için Ksenephon'un Anabasis - On Binlerin'in Dönüşü adlı kitabını da okumanızı şiddetle öneririm.
Bu kitabı okuduktan sonraki ilk düşüncem, zamanda yolculuk yapıp bir generalin bedeninde uyanacak olursam eğer başarılı bir şekilde savaş yönetebileceğim oldu.
April 15, 2020
Apart from the sickening, sycophantic brown-nosing to the emperor — and I suppose there was just no publishing anything without it — this is
it
: the definitive source for Roman army recruit selection, training, military technology, and tactics. Why refer to a 21st century Hollywood movie if you can read the *original* Roman army training manual?
In our age, innovation is a Good Thing, and something better is always replacing something that came before. It is clear from Vegetius's text (and generally in ancient culture) that in military matters, innovation did exist, but side-by-side with venerated ancient arms and technology — the more ancient, the more respected. There is an American expression for that: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
But man, they could have done with stirrups. Millions of Roman testicles would have said, "Thank you!"
In our age, innovation is a Good Thing, and something better is always replacing something that came before. It is clear from Vegetius's text (and generally in ancient culture) that in military matters, innovation did exist, but side-by-side with venerated ancient arms and technology — the more ancient, the more respected. There is an American expression for that: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
But man, they could have done with stirrups. Millions of Roman testicles would have said, "Thank you!"
June 1, 2020
Don't worry I am not moving towards becoming some sort of historian. The reason I read this book is that I wanted to understand a little more about the way the Roam army worked, after reading some great Kate Quinn books. FYI her books are a lot more interesting.
October 16, 2023
Another classic historical work on warfare that is challenging for Goodreads and similar programs to correctly catalog. This edition is from Stackpole Books, previously The Military Service Publishers, etc. both of which specialized in printing books of professional interest to the career military officer. Vegetius, as it's commonly identified, appears in a very great number of editions from multiple publishers. This edition was translated from the Latin by Lieutenant John Clark and edited by Brigadier General Thomas R. Phillips, US Army. first published in 1944 and reprinted twice, in 1960 for my copy.
July 29, 2020
Latince aslından çeviri yazıyor ama kitap Nicholas Milner'ın Liverpool Uni. Press'den (2001) çıkan İngilizce çevirisinin neredeyse aynısı. Öyle ki dipnotların bile %90'ı aynı, önsöz de Milner'ın önsözünün özeti. Kronik kitaba güvenim kırıldı açıkçası.
Bunun yanında Vegetius'a da pek güvenmemek lazım. En dikkat çeken hatası Romalıların iyi bilinen üçlü savaş hattı diziliminde birinci sıradaki hastati ve ikinci sıradaki principes'in yerlerini (muhtemelen yanlış bir etimolojik çıkarımla princeps: birinci) değiştirerek principes'in her zaman birinci sırayı tuttuğunu iddia etmesi.
Bunun yanında Vegetius'a da pek güvenmemek lazım. En dikkat çeken hatası Romalıların iyi bilinen üçlü savaş hattı diziliminde birinci sıradaki hastati ve ikinci sıradaki principes'in yerlerini (muhtemelen yanlış bir etimolojik çıkarımla princeps: birinci) değiştirerek principes'in her zaman birinci sırayı tuttuğunu iddia etmesi.
August 22, 2013
A very interesting book on the art of war and the methods used by the Roman Empire to accomplish their military discipline and conquests.
May 22, 2024
Flavius Vegetius Illustrates Right Execution Of An 'Aramatura' & Separates The 'Hastati' From The 'Accensi'.
Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus is a man about whom very little is actually known. We do know he was a writer who lived during the Later Roman Empire era in history, sometime in the fourth century A.D. The majority of the information we do possess of him is indirectly derived from the two extant works he authored, those being the 'De re militari' & the 'Digesta Artis Mulomedicinae'. The latter is a reference manual dedicated to the obscure subject of veterinary medicine, the former, to which this review concerns itself is a military treatise chiefly concerned with terminology germane to Roman military structure as well as effective training practices for recruits, so as to make them excel as Roman soldiers.
Vegetius references an emperor multiple times throughout this book's somewhat-modest 93 pages, & modern scholars believe this emperor could have been a few different men, among them Theodosius the Great, Valentinian III, or Thedosius II.
The 'De re militari' is a very antiquated treatise & some of Vegetius' advice in particular sets of circumstances would be considered ethically unacceptable & subversive by modern standards in the eyes of quite a few people, myself included. That said, the historical significance of the military manual is much, much more exciting to me than attempting to apply any of Vegetius' work to modern, real-life scenarios. It isn't a good idea, so I wouldn't advise you to try it, at all, whatsoever ! Whenever I review a book such as this, I worry that someone might get excited about it for the wrong reasons & get carried away. I try to keep the idea in my mind that history should be a fun subject for people to learn about, enjoy & share with one another.
I first became interested in Vegetius' work after reading Niccolò Machiavelli's 'The Art of War' & found that it utilized the 'De re militari' in numerous instances, mostly involving strategy & troop formations. I noticed on a number of occasions that Vegetius structures his sentences in a manner similar to those of Machiavelli. The language & vernacular the two men favor often is austere, their delivery direct, & without adornment. Harsh. 'He, therefore, who desires peace, should prepare for war. He who aspires to victory, should spare no pains to form his soldiers. And he who hopes for success, should fight on principle, not chance.'
And some of the prescribed stratagems Vegetius outlines for officers to lead their troops according to, made me a bit sad more than anything else after reading them. In Book III, he outlines how an army's commanding officer should interact with the men under his command before an impending battle : 'He should employ every argument capable of exciting rage, hatred & indignation against the adversaries in the minds of his soldiers.' Later, he continues to outline how to acclimate troops to an unfamiliar foe : 'When opportunity offers, they should be sent to fall upon them & endeavor to put them to flight or kill some of their men. Thus they will become acquainted with their customs, arms & horses. And the objects with which we are once familiarized are no longer capable of inspiring us with terror.' People should never regard each other in such a way, ever.
All in all, there are three books in this edition of 'De re militari', the fourth book which concerns itself with siege craft was omitted from this particular printing. There is no introduction in this translation, nor is there an index or expanded notes. As stated previously, Vegetius' military treatise is not a lengthy read, not by any means. The language structure will probably come off as mechanical to someone unaccustomed to the style, but a determined reader can finish this in a single day in an environment with minimal distractions. I'd recommend nothing as far as "required" reading before jumping into the 'De re militari', it's very self-contained in that regard. If you enjoy this book, I'd most assuredly suggest Machiavelli's 'The Art of War'. Also, some of the terminology of Roman regimental structure also appears in Livy's 'Ab Urbe Condita', Book VIII, Chapter VIII - IX which correlates to what's found here. That particular section is found in Penguin's 'Livy : Rome & Italy Books VI - X', if you're interested.
Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus is a man about whom very little is actually known. We do know he was a writer who lived during the Later Roman Empire era in history, sometime in the fourth century A.D. The majority of the information we do possess of him is indirectly derived from the two extant works he authored, those being the 'De re militari' & the 'Digesta Artis Mulomedicinae'. The latter is a reference manual dedicated to the obscure subject of veterinary medicine, the former, to which this review concerns itself is a military treatise chiefly concerned with terminology germane to Roman military structure as well as effective training practices for recruits, so as to make them excel as Roman soldiers.
Vegetius references an emperor multiple times throughout this book's somewhat-modest 93 pages, & modern scholars believe this emperor could have been a few different men, among them Theodosius the Great, Valentinian III, or Thedosius II.
The 'De re militari' is a very antiquated treatise & some of Vegetius' advice in particular sets of circumstances would be considered ethically unacceptable & subversive by modern standards in the eyes of quite a few people, myself included. That said, the historical significance of the military manual is much, much more exciting to me than attempting to apply any of Vegetius' work to modern, real-life scenarios. It isn't a good idea, so I wouldn't advise you to try it, at all, whatsoever ! Whenever I review a book such as this, I worry that someone might get excited about it for the wrong reasons & get carried away. I try to keep the idea in my mind that history should be a fun subject for people to learn about, enjoy & share with one another.
I first became interested in Vegetius' work after reading Niccolò Machiavelli's 'The Art of War' & found that it utilized the 'De re militari' in numerous instances, mostly involving strategy & troop formations. I noticed on a number of occasions that Vegetius structures his sentences in a manner similar to those of Machiavelli. The language & vernacular the two men favor often is austere, their delivery direct, & without adornment. Harsh. 'He, therefore, who desires peace, should prepare for war. He who aspires to victory, should spare no pains to form his soldiers. And he who hopes for success, should fight on principle, not chance.'
And some of the prescribed stratagems Vegetius outlines for officers to lead their troops according to, made me a bit sad more than anything else after reading them. In Book III, he outlines how an army's commanding officer should interact with the men under his command before an impending battle : 'He should employ every argument capable of exciting rage, hatred & indignation against the adversaries in the minds of his soldiers.' Later, he continues to outline how to acclimate troops to an unfamiliar foe : 'When opportunity offers, they should be sent to fall upon them & endeavor to put them to flight or kill some of their men. Thus they will become acquainted with their customs, arms & horses. And the objects with which we are once familiarized are no longer capable of inspiring us with terror.' People should never regard each other in such a way, ever.
All in all, there are three books in this edition of 'De re militari', the fourth book which concerns itself with siege craft was omitted from this particular printing. There is no introduction in this translation, nor is there an index or expanded notes. As stated previously, Vegetius' military treatise is not a lengthy read, not by any means. The language structure will probably come off as mechanical to someone unaccustomed to the style, but a determined reader can finish this in a single day in an environment with minimal distractions. I'd recommend nothing as far as "required" reading before jumping into the 'De re militari', it's very self-contained in that regard. If you enjoy this book, I'd most assuredly suggest Machiavelli's 'The Art of War'. Also, some of the terminology of Roman regimental structure also appears in Livy's 'Ab Urbe Condita', Book VIII, Chapter VIII - IX which correlates to what's found here. That particular section is found in Penguin's 'Livy : Rome & Italy Books VI - X', if you're interested.
October 28, 2018
1500 years later most of this book is still relevant today. Not only was it fascinating learning about the more mundane aspects of training Roman Legionnaires, but how the problems faced by the Roman military internally ultimately led to its unraveling.
At the time this book was written the Roman Army was already on the decline and the author was trying to help the Emperor rebuild the institutions of the Roman Military that had once led it to great success. Flavius Vegetius poured over and compiled all the writing on Military Affairs creating this condensed version of what he thought were the meat and bones behind the Roman Military's legacy.
The most important lesson he hones in on is the importance of discipline. To the author, discipline is everything, it is the singular most important element in the Roman War Machine. He characterizes how this is achieved through endless repetition, drill and training. That when the time of battle comes every Soldier already knows exactly what to do and is able to execute without hesitation.
Another part I liked was his emphasis on the importance of getting Soldiers accustomed to hard living. Hard work, long hours outdoors, these are things most people will avoid if possible. I think this is part of the reason Roman lost its ability to fight. They had grown used to a life with more material pleasures and leisure so in the twilight years of the empire Roman Citizens no longer wanted to fight. They preferred to use Mercenaries or foreign armies to do their fighting for them.
The interesting parallels today is how the US Military struggles to fill its ranks because of the obesity epidemic, mental health issues, or emotional fragility of most Americans. Not only are less willing to fight, less are even able or eligible.
At the time this book was written the Roman Army was already on the decline and the author was trying to help the Emperor rebuild the institutions of the Roman Military that had once led it to great success. Flavius Vegetius poured over and compiled all the writing on Military Affairs creating this condensed version of what he thought were the meat and bones behind the Roman Military's legacy.
The most important lesson he hones in on is the importance of discipline. To the author, discipline is everything, it is the singular most important element in the Roman War Machine. He characterizes how this is achieved through endless repetition, drill and training. That when the time of battle comes every Soldier already knows exactly what to do and is able to execute without hesitation.
Another part I liked was his emphasis on the importance of getting Soldiers accustomed to hard living. Hard work, long hours outdoors, these are things most people will avoid if possible. I think this is part of the reason Roman lost its ability to fight. They had grown used to a life with more material pleasures and leisure so in the twilight years of the empire Roman Citizens no longer wanted to fight. They preferred to use Mercenaries or foreign armies to do their fighting for them.
The interesting parallels today is how the US Military struggles to fill its ranks because of the obesity epidemic, mental health issues, or emotional fragility of most Americans. Not only are less willing to fight, less are even able or eligible.
December 30, 2024
If you want peace, prepare for war.
I came here researching the medieval theory of war, especially siege engines and other technology of warfare. Apparently, this survived as a foundational text studied by all the important players during the medieval period.
This book was written in the late 300s or early 400s AD, after the split of the Roman Empire. Vegetius seems to be himself acting as a student of history, compiling evidence he can find from ancient authors to construct a picture of the logistics, tactics, and organization of the Roman military during its glory days. According to its ostentatiously fawning prefaces, Vegetius writes to the emperor, campaigning for reform of the weak, lazy military of the present day back into the indomitable war machine of the early empire.
The seemingly elementary nature of some of the things he explains is interesting, as it shows how much had changed or been forgotten between 260 BC and 300 AD. It also makes me doubt how much of what Vegetius writes is accurate, or at least whether it provides a complete and true picture of the way the ancient Romans actually did things. He's working backward from the same sources we have today, after all.
There were some interesting descriptions of war machines and of the encampment fortifications the ancient Romans built. Overall, this was a quick read in a similar vein as The Art of War or The Prince.
Now, if anyone knows where I can find a translation of Guido da Vigevanos' Texarus Regis Francie, that would be awesome because unfortunately I don't speak medieval Latin.
February 28, 2019
Vegetius (que viveu na virada do séc. IV para o V) apesar de não ser militar, escreveu um dos tratados militares mais importantes da história. Aqui presentes os 3 primeiros dos 5 livros (BOOK 1: The Selection and Training of New Levies, BOOK 2: The Organisation of the Legion, BOOK 3: Dispositions for Action), Vegetius nos fornece informações importantíssimas sobre o dia a dia dos soldados, alistamento, seus métodos de treinamento, armamento, alimentação, formações de batalha, entre outros inúmeros aspectos da vida militar.
Os livros 4 e 5 que tratam de ataque e defesa de lugares fortificados e operações navais não foram incluídos nessa edição. Não encontrei nenhuma edição em inglês ou português que inclua esses dois livros.
Apesar da tradução latim-inglês ser do séc. XVIII (feita por John Clarke), e do texto original ser do séc. V, o livro é de fácil leitura e pode ser lido por leigos que queiram se iniciar no assunto, mas também é recomendadíssimo para quem quer se aprofundar nos assuntos militares da Roma antiga.
Escolhi essa edição por causa das ilustrações, mas são praticamente todas anacrônicas, representando principalmente equipamentos de cerco do período medieval. Recomendo a versão nacional “Sobre as Instituições Militares Romanas” da editora RCMP, que parece ter uma boa tradução, feita do inglês.
O único ponto negativo é que como os livros foram escritos de forma independente, algumas informações acabam sendo repetidas nos livros seguintes.
Os livros 4 e 5 que tratam de ataque e defesa de lugares fortificados e operações navais não foram incluídos nessa edição. Não encontrei nenhuma edição em inglês ou português que inclua esses dois livros.
Apesar da tradução latim-inglês ser do séc. XVIII (feita por John Clarke), e do texto original ser do séc. V, o livro é de fácil leitura e pode ser lido por leigos que queiram se iniciar no assunto, mas também é recomendadíssimo para quem quer se aprofundar nos assuntos militares da Roma antiga.
Escolhi essa edição por causa das ilustrações, mas são praticamente todas anacrônicas, representando principalmente equipamentos de cerco do período medieval. Recomendo a versão nacional “Sobre as Instituições Militares Romanas” da editora RCMP, que parece ter uma boa tradução, feita do inglês.
O único ponto negativo é que como os livros foram escritos de forma independente, algumas informações acabam sendo repetidas nos livros seguintes.
April 26, 2022
Spotted this on the shelves of a business & economics library and decided to give it a read.
Vegetius wrote this around the year 380, following a spectacular roman defeat against the Goths. At this point Rome had been plagued by civil strife and military incursions for the better part of two centuries, and Vegetius wanted to see Rome return to its glorious past by writing a manual for the new emperor. For inspiration he turned to the ancient Romans. The result is a conglomeration of ancient writers, part hagiography and part military manual.
One major issue is that Vegetius himself is not a historian nor an army man, he mixes writings from different time periods, both republican and early imperial, and does not seem to understand the evolution of the roman military. Vegetius condemns Marius for accepting the lowly and the poor into the ranks and thus ruining the "moral qualities" of the army, while later praising and condoning these same reforms and Marius' great victories, seemingly without being aware of the contradiction.
Unlike Sun Tzu who offers universally applicable maxims on strategy (strike where the enemy is weak, sow division, etc), Vegetius offers more practical advice relating to tactics; how to organize troops, the type and frequency of exercise, how to measure out and construct fortified camps, how to arrange your formation and utilize your flanks in various battlefield situations etc.
Vegetius wrote this around the year 380, following a spectacular roman defeat against the Goths. At this point Rome had been plagued by civil strife and military incursions for the better part of two centuries, and Vegetius wanted to see Rome return to its glorious past by writing a manual for the new emperor. For inspiration he turned to the ancient Romans. The result is a conglomeration of ancient writers, part hagiography and part military manual.
One major issue is that Vegetius himself is not a historian nor an army man, he mixes writings from different time periods, both republican and early imperial, and does not seem to understand the evolution of the roman military. Vegetius condemns Marius for accepting the lowly and the poor into the ranks and thus ruining the "moral qualities" of the army, while later praising and condoning these same reforms and Marius' great victories, seemingly without being aware of the contradiction.
Unlike Sun Tzu who offers universally applicable maxims on strategy (strike where the enemy is weak, sow division, etc), Vegetius offers more practical advice relating to tactics; how to organize troops, the type and frequency of exercise, how to measure out and construct fortified camps, how to arrange your formation and utilize your flanks in various battlefield situations etc.
September 11, 2025
Yazarın, eseri dönemin imparatoru I. Theodosius'a adadığı düşünülüyor. Vegetius, kaleme alındığı dönemde bozulmaların ve disiplinsizliklerin gözlemlendiği Roma ordusunu tekrar eski düzenine getirmek amacıyla yazıyor aslında eserini. Vegetius askeri olarak herhangi bir alanda görev yapmış değil. Buna rağmen eserini, savaş sanatı hakkında kaleme alınmış diğer eserlerdeki bilgileri derleyerek yazdığından bahsediyor.
Dört kitapçıktan oluşan eser her bir kitapçıkta savaş sanatı hakkında ayrı konulara değiniyor. Kimi yerlerde kelimelerin etimolojisinden yola çıkarak açıklamalar yapıyor. Oldukça teknik bir kitap olmasına rağmen yalın diliyle ilgisi olan herkes tarafından kolaylıkla okunabilir. Ayrıca Kronik Yayınları'ndan yayımlanan versiyonunda harikulade bir çeviri var, renkli resimlerle de kimi konular örneklendirilmiş. Giriş kısmında Roma ordusu, eser ve yazar hakkında bilgilendirmeler de mevcut. Orijinal ismiyle De Re Militari, ilgisi olan herkesin çekinmeden okuyabileceği oldukça bilgilendirici bir kitap.
Dört kitapçıktan oluşan eser her bir kitapçıkta savaş sanatı hakkında ayrı konulara değiniyor. Kimi yerlerde kelimelerin etimolojisinden yola çıkarak açıklamalar yapıyor. Oldukça teknik bir kitap olmasına rağmen yalın diliyle ilgisi olan herkes tarafından kolaylıkla okunabilir. Ayrıca Kronik Yayınları'ndan yayımlanan versiyonunda harikulade bir çeviri var, renkli resimlerle de kimi konular örneklendirilmiş. Giriş kısmında Roma ordusu, eser ve yazar hakkında bilgilendirmeler de mevcut. Orijinal ismiyle De Re Militari, ilgisi olan herkesin çekinmeden okuyabileceği oldukça bilgilendirici bir kitap.
November 19, 2019
Read earlier this year at some point.
Vegetius is an unreliable source about Roman military institutions, as taking his word for something is like believing the drunken bull-session ramblings of a supply captain who's a committed officer, but doesn't actually know that much about the fields he's talking about. From experience, some of his idealizations of the early Roman army are pure nonsense, and have been used badly out of place afterward - his idea of a typical marching load has led to destructively heavy loads for infantrymen ever since someone looked at Vegetius back in the 1800s and decided a grunt could carry a hundred pounds everywhere because ol' Flavio said it. Well... yes, you can, but should you?
Vegetius is an unreliable source about Roman military institutions, as taking his word for something is like believing the drunken bull-session ramblings of a supply captain who's a committed officer, but doesn't actually know that much about the fields he's talking about. From experience, some of his idealizations of the early Roman army are pure nonsense, and have been used badly out of place afterward - his idea of a typical marching load has led to destructively heavy loads for infantrymen ever since someone looked at Vegetius back in the 1800s and decided a grunt could carry a hundred pounds everywhere because ol' Flavio said it. Well... yes, you can, but should you?
November 1, 2020
Among other ancient authors - it is relatively easy reading. The book contains general information about all major aspects of the Roman warfare (troops organization, tactics, deployment, armour and weapons, siege warfare, naval warfare), though does not focus on any particular aspect in great detail but rather provides a general bird-eye view. Majority of information is rather general and at times seems intuitive.
Occasionally it is not exactly clear where the author describes his contemporary practices and where those of more distant past (times of the Republic and Early empire or even of Classical or Hellenistic Greek warfare). And in latter case, it is also not always clear - how distant.
Occasionally it is not exactly clear where the author describes his contemporary practices and where those of more distant past (times of the Republic and Early empire or even of Classical or Hellenistic Greek warfare). And in latter case, it is also not always clear - how distant.
July 29, 2019
This book is so full of insight onto human nature, common sense, and good tactical/strategic advice, that it is no wonder it was the de facto warfare manual for well over a thousand years. Some of it can be applied even outside military matters. Also, it puts in perspective issues I thought were contemporary, yet they are as old as civilization itself.
Also, "Si vis pacem, para bellum", that so-quoted phrase from this book, is actually the least impressive maxim it offers.
It is clear that whoever holds that one in high regard as the cornerstone of this piece of literature has never ever read this book, and is just wikipediaing it just to sound cool.
Also, "Si vis pacem, para bellum", that so-quoted phrase from this book, is actually the least impressive maxim it offers.
It is clear that whoever holds that one in high regard as the cornerstone of this piece of literature has never ever read this book, and is just wikipediaing it just to sound cool.
October 30, 2025
Fascinating - the thoughts from nearly 2000 years ago - but still relevant, or at least understandable, today.
Very interesting reading, but a book to be dipped into rather than devoured at one sitting - hence the time it took to finish reading such a small tome.
My chief takeaway was realising how many historical military fiction authors I have read have clearly read this work.
Many of the examples and anecdotes described by Vegetius pepper the works of these writers.
When I finally get round to raising my own ancient period army, I will now feel fully equipped to do it correctly.
Very interesting reading, but a book to be dipped into rather than devoured at one sitting - hence the time it took to finish reading such a small tome.
My chief takeaway was realising how many historical military fiction authors I have read have clearly read this work.
Many of the examples and anecdotes described by Vegetius pepper the works of these writers.
When I finally get round to raising my own ancient period army, I will now feel fully equipped to do it correctly.
December 29, 2020
If you have an abiding interest in all things Ancient Rome this is a must read. It is a 'How To.." manual for the Roman Legion. It covers everything in detail. ... Legion size, officers, infantry, cavalry, encampment, tactics, etc.
This should probably not be the first book you read about Rome (Read all the books about Julius Caesar (his bio and Commentary on the Gallic Wars and the Civil War) and the the many following emperors, life in a Roman city, Legion armaments, etc) and then read this. You will be glad you did.
This should probably not be the first book you read about Rome (Read all the books about Julius Caesar (his bio and Commentary on the Gallic Wars and the Civil War) and the the many following emperors, life in a Roman city, Legion armaments, etc) and then read this. You will be glad you did.
August 12, 2018
Written around 400 to 450 AD, this is a compilation of earlier treatises on the Roman army. It is addressed to the Emperor Theodosius and is a call to reform the army along classical lines. He recommends an infantry heavy legion made up of long service professionals. It came much too late to save the Empire. But it became the standard reference work for the Renaissance pike armies at the end of the Middle Ages.
December 3, 2021
This short ebook presents a 1767 translation by John Clarke of the classic treatise by Vegetius, itself written in the 4th century AD. That translation has clearly been edited since, anonymously, by the evidence of some footnotes indicating more modern knowledge, hence it may be substantially abridged or altered from the original. Nevertheless, it is a pithy description of Roman military wisdom, tactics, equipment, etc. Useful reading for any aspiring fantasy writer.
October 13, 2022
Good enough copy of the Translation
Good enough copy of the Translation but I wish it was a parallel translation with English and Latin. This book has things in it about the Roman military I didn't find in any other book. This is why people copied it by hand since the 5th century until it was finally printed but, to update the print job, they copied it until now it's digital. I wish more works survived!!! And Epstein didn't kill himself!!!!!
Good enough copy of the Translation but I wish it was a parallel translation with English and Latin. This book has things in it about the Roman military I didn't find in any other book. This is why people copied it by hand since the 5th century until it was finally printed but, to update the print job, they copied it until now it's digital. I wish more works survived!!! And Epstein didn't kill himself!!!!!
March 15, 2019
Very interesting....
Interesting read I make a detailed in the breakdown of all of the different aspects of the Roman army especially the detailing of the troops to movements how they were put together I thought this was a very good read. I recommend it for anyone who is interested in military history of any kind...
Interesting read I make a detailed in the breakdown of all of the different aspects of the Roman army especially the detailing of the troops to movements how they were put together I thought this was a very good read. I recommend it for anyone who is interested in military history of any kind...
June 18, 2020
An excellent insight into the views of the people who translated this document and used it for centuries after the fall of the Roman Empire. There is thought this might not be original, but it is historical from certain medieval armies if not further back.
Worth a read if you like military history or just ancient history itself.
Worth a read if you like military history or just ancient history itself.
August 13, 2023
"Si vis pacem, para bellum." (Barış isteyen, savaşa hazırlansın.) sözü bu kitaptan geliyormuş. Renatus, Roma'nın çöküşe geçtiği IV. Yüzyılda askeri gücü canlandırabilmek için bu kitabı I. Theodosius için yazmış. Osmanlı'nın çöküş zamanlarında da böyle risalelerden çok vardır. Tabii ki hiçbiri çöküşü durduramamış. Roma ordusunun yapısını ve işleyişini anlayabilmek için okunabilir.
June 19, 2017
Another great book about Ancient Warfare.
Just like the Art of War by Sun Tzu, this book should be definitely read again after sometime.
Information like this doesn't always have to be about Warfare, even sometimes in life situations
warfare strategy can make you think differently.
Just like the Art of War by Sun Tzu, this book should be definitely read again after sometime.
Information like this doesn't always have to be about Warfare, even sometimes in life situations
warfare strategy can make you think differently.
April 25, 2021
Roma ordusunun niteliği, nizamları ve taktiklerini öğrenmek adına yazılmış ve Türkçe'ye yeni kazandırılmış bir eser. Dönemin terminolojisi ile incelemek için faydalı ancak günümüzün bilgiye ulaşma kapasitesi ile şayet konuya meraklıysanız, öğreneceğiniz çok ek bir bilgi olmayacaktır.
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