Aeneas Tacticus | |
---|---|
Native name | Αἰνείας ὁ Τακτικός |
Occupation | Writer |
Nationality | Greek |
Period | 4th century BC |
Subject | Art of war |
Notable works | How to Survive under Siege |
Aeneas Tacticus [1] ( Greek: Αἰνείας ὁ Τακτικός; fl. 4th century BC) was one of the earliest Greek writers on the art of war and is credited as the first author to provide a complete guide to securing military communications. [2] Polybius described his design for a hydraulic semaphore system. [3] [4]
According to Aelianus Tacticus and Polybius, he wrote a number of treatises (Ὑπομνήματα) on the subject. The only extant one, How to Survive under Siege ( Ancient Greek: Περὶ τοῦ πῶς χρὴ πολιορκουμένους ἀντέχειν, Perì toû pôs chrḕ poliorkouménous antéchein), deals with the best methods of defending a fortified city. An epitome of the whole was made by Cineas, minister of Pyrrhus, king of Epirus. The work is chiefly valuable as containing a large number of historical illustrations. [5]
Aeneas was considered by Isaac Casaubon to have been a contemporary of Xenophon and identical with the Arcadian general Aeneas of Stymphalus, whom Xenophon (Hellenica, vii.3) mentions as fighting at the Battle of Mantinea (362 BC). [5]
See also Chisholm 1911 for a long list of editions and commentaries.
Aeneas Tacticus | |
---|---|
Native name | Αἰνείας ὁ Τακτικός |
Occupation | Writer |
Nationality | Greek |
Period | 4th century BC |
Subject | Art of war |
Notable works | How to Survive under Siege |
Aeneas Tacticus [1] ( Greek: Αἰνείας ὁ Τακτικός; fl. 4th century BC) was one of the earliest Greek writers on the art of war and is credited as the first author to provide a complete guide to securing military communications. [2] Polybius described his design for a hydraulic semaphore system. [3] [4]
According to Aelianus Tacticus and Polybius, he wrote a number of treatises (Ὑπομνήματα) on the subject. The only extant one, How to Survive under Siege ( Ancient Greek: Περὶ τοῦ πῶς χρὴ πολιορκουμένους ἀντέχειν, Perì toû pôs chrḕ poliorkouménous antéchein), deals with the best methods of defending a fortified city. An epitome of the whole was made by Cineas, minister of Pyrrhus, king of Epirus. The work is chiefly valuable as containing a large number of historical illustrations. [5]
Aeneas was considered by Isaac Casaubon to have been a contemporary of Xenophon and identical with the Arcadian general Aeneas of Stymphalus, whom Xenophon (Hellenica, vii.3) mentions as fighting at the Battle of Mantinea (362 BC). [5]
See also Chisholm 1911 for a long list of editions and commentaries.