Vegetius (fl.4th Century CE,) fully Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus, was a Roman military scholar whose work became one of the most influential military treatises in the Western world. His writings had a profound impact on European military tactics well into the Middle Ages.
Vegetius, likely a Christian and a senior official in the Roman bureaucracy, was a patrician and reformer with limited direct military experience. He lived during a period when the traditional Roman legionary formation had been weakened by the increased use of cavalry and foreign auxiliaries.
His key work, Epitoma Rei Militaris (written between 384 and 389,) sought to restore Rome’s military effectiveness by advocating for the revival of the traditional legion and reducing dependence on barbarian mercenaries. He also authored Digesta Artis Mulomedicinae, which focuses on animal husbandry and horse care.
Vegetius’s rules on siegecraft and discipline were extensively studied during the Middle Ages. His work, being the first major Christian Roman military text, remained a key reference for centuries. Notably, President George Washington is believed to have owned and annotated a copy of Vegetius’s treatise.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Vegetius
Let him who desires peace prepare for war.
—Vegetius
Topics: War, Desire
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.
—Vegetius
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