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Roots of Strategy: A Collection of Military Classics
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Historical SummaryVegetius’ compilation of the military wisdom and customs of the Romans has been the most influential military work written in the western world. Compiled for the Emperor Valentinian II about 390 A. D., just before Rome was captured and burned by Alaric, King of the Goths, it was circulated in manuscript for a thousand years and served the purpose of a field service and training regulations throughout Europe. As soon as printing was discovered it was published in Italian, French, German, Dutch, and English within the space of sixteen years. Caxton printed the first English edition in 1489. To Vegetius can be attributed the organization of the modern division, even to ponton equipment, a description of which is given in his book. The disciplinary practices of our own army can be traced to him. It was from study of Vegetius that Marshal de Saxe rediscovered cadenced marching, an art that had been lost in European armies for a thousand years. "In war," wrote Vegetius, "discipline is superior to strength; but if that discipline is neglected there is no longer any difference between the soldier and the peasant." And he proceeds to explain how to insure discipline. No officer can understand our own military institutions who has failed to read Vegetius.
DISPOSITION OF THE CAVALRY.
The line of infantry being formed, the cavalry are drawn up in the wings. The heavy horse, that is, the cuirassiers and troopers armed with lances, should join the infantry. The light cavalry, consisting of the archers and those who have no cuirasses, should be placed at a greater distance. The best and heaviest horse are to cover the flanks of the foot, and the light horse are posted as abovementioned to surround and disorder the enemy’s wings. A general should know what part of his own cavalry is most proper to oppose any particular squadrons or troops of the enemy. For from some causes not to be accounted for some particular corps fight better against others, and those who have defeated superior enemies are often overcome by an inferior force.
If your cavalry is not equal to the enemy’s it is proper, after the ancient custom, to intermingle it with light infantry armed with small shields and trained to this kind of service. By observing this method, even though the flower of the enemy’s cavalry should attack you, they will never be able to cope with this mixed disposition. This was the only resource of the old generals to supply the defects of their cavalry, and they intermingled the 156 men, used to running and armed for this purpose with light shields, swords and darts, among the horse, placing one of them between two troopers.
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Chicago:
"The Military Institutions of the Romans, Book 3: Disposition of the Cavalry," Roots of Strategy: A Collection of Military Classics in Roots of Strategy: A Collection of Military Classics, ed. Thomas R. Phillips (Harrisburg, PA: The Military Service Publishing Company, 1940), Original Sources, accessed July 15, 2025, http://www.originalsources.com/Document.aspx?DocID=4YK4YBE3C2E8254.
MLA:
. "The Military Institutions of the Romans, Book 3: Disposition of the Cavalry." Roots of Strategy: A Collection of Military Classics, in Roots of Strategy: A Collection of Military Classics, edited by Thomas R. Phillips, Harrisburg, PA, The Military Service Publishing Company, 1940, Original Sources. 15 Jul. 2025. http://www.originalsources.com/Document.aspx?DocID=4YK4YBE3C2E8254.
Harvard:
, 'The Military Institutions of the Romans, Book 3: Disposition of the Cavalry' in Roots of Strategy: A Collection of Military Classics. cited in 1940, Roots of Strategy: A Collection of Military Classics, ed. , The Military Service Publishing Company, Harrisburg, PA. Original Sources, retrieved 15 July 2025, from http://www.originalsources.com/Document.aspx?DocID=4YK4YBE3C2E8254.
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