9th Century Calvary Book

[Onasander]

I remember reading a 9th century pdf a couple years back dealing with equestrian formations, and it claimed to of been decended from roman tactics.... does anyone know what I'm talking about, cause I can't seem to find it on the net anymore, not surprising, since it was a surprise for me to of found it way back then (it's rare to find such a technical text dating from the 9th century in western europe)!

[Favonius Cornelius]

Don't know the identity of the book, but it would be strange to make such a claim, since generally the same sort of tactics have been pretty continual though history. Cavlary on the flanks, wedge formation etc. Sure some excelled in some formations, and nomads at their own special tactics...but what could be considered 'Roman' cavalry tactics?

[Onasander]

That's what I remembered reading, like I said, it was a couple years back before I joined the military so I didn't have good comprehension of the orders of marching and thier importance, and gave up reading it in that section (it befuddled my brain, discussing which foot the calvary was to be on when calling for a column left... what did I care about that then!), but there IS such a work out their in cyberspace.... I just can't remember how I stumbled across it.

 

The terminology was all latin, and the introduction said it (the 9th century work) was taken from a earlier Roman work that he mentioned by name, though that too I cannot remember, cause it was in latin and seemed pretty non-discriptive to me.

 

If any of you stumble across it some time, flag me!

[Nikephoros Phokas]

The major military manual of the 9th Century was the Tactica. It was written during the life of Emperor Leo VI, and he may have authored it as he did write a book providing guidance for his son and successor. The Tactica was the historical sequel to a 6th Century military manual known as the Strategicon. This book was possibly written by one of two emperors, Maurice or Heraclius or more likely dedicated to one of them by an anonymous author.

 

The Strategicon was translated into English by George Dennis, "Maurice's Strategikon: Handbook of Byzantine Military Strategy" (ISBN: 0812217721). Another version will be published early next year and will include more information about the Byzantine military. This was written by Philip Rance, an English professor of Late Antiquity studies.

 

The Tactica was not translated into English; however, it was used as the basis for the chapters on the Byzantine military in "The Art of War in the Middle Ages" by Sir Charles Oman. This book provides an overview of European warfare from the Roman era to the end of the 15th Century. Oman uses large chunks of the Tactica to describe the Byzantine military and its tactics.

 

If you compare Dennis and Oman you will notice the similarity between the Strategicon and the Tactica.

[Onasander]

No, it was not the Tatica, I've seen slides of the manuscript, and wouldn't get confused, and it certainly wasn't Maurice's book.... no, this was a Frankish book based on a even earlier roman book.