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Tactica of Emperor Leo VI the Wise

The Tactica (Greek: Τακτικά) is a military treatise written by or on behalf of Byzantine Emperor Leo VI the Wise in c. 895–908,[1] and later edited by his son, Constantine VII.[2] Drawing on earlier authors such as Aelian, Onasander and the Strategikon of emperor Maurice,[2] it is one of the major works on Byzantine military tactics, written on the eve of Byzantium's "age of reconquest". The original Greek title is τῶν ἐν πολέμοις τακτικῶν σύντομος παράδοσις ("short instruction of the tactics of war"). The Tactica elaborates on a wide variety of issues, such as infantry and cavalry formations, drills, siege and naval warfare etc. It is written in a legislative form of language and comprises 20 Constitutions (Διατάξεις Diataxeis)[3] and an Epilogue and is concluded by 12 additional chapters, the latter mainly focusing on ancient tactics.

Text[edit]

The text of the Tactica is transmitted in several manuscript prototypes, of which the most authoritative date to within a generation of Leo himself. Leo mentions within the Tactica, that Christianity could adopt Islam's doctrine of a "holy war" for its military applications.[4]


An edition with English translation by G. T. Dennis (ed.), The Taktika of Leo VI. Text, Translation and Commentary ([CFHB 49] Dumbarton Oaks, Washington, D.C. 2010), was translated from a 10th-century Florentine manuscript.[5]

Preface

Chapter I - On Tactics and On the General

Chapter II - On who the General should be

Chapter III - On how the Decision should be taken

Chapter IV - On the Division of the Host and the Condition of the Officers

Chapter V - On Arms

Chapter VI - On the Equipment of Cavalry and Infantry

Chapter VII - On Drilling Infantry and Cavalry

Chapter VIII - On Military Punishments

Chapter IX - On Marching

Chapter X - On Baggage Trains

Chapter XI - On Camps

Chapter XII - On Military Preparation

Chapter XIII - On the Day before Battle

Chapter XIV - On the Day of Battle

Chapter XV - On Besieging a Town

Chapter XVI - On the Actions after the War is Concluded

Chapter XVII - On Surprise Attacks

Chapter XVIII - On the Studying of Various Heathen and Roman Formations

Chapter XIX - On Naval Warfare

Chapter XX - On Various Maxims

Epilogue

Additions from the Sylloge Tacticorum

Summary[edit]

Preface[edit]

The emperor announces what is in question in this work, that is to say: not to forget the old military tactics and to teach the modern ones. According to him, they seem to be neglected or even forgotten by his generals, he also states that the use of tactics and military knowledge is better than relying on the number of his troops: “[…] it is not with a multitude men whom the war ends happily, […], but by the science of tidying them up, of moving them and of sparing them.[6]

Chapter I-On Tactics and On the General[edit]

This first chapter first explains the interpretation of tactics, it is described as “the science of movements that are made in war […] the art of arranging the troops and arranging the various weapons. ". In a second step, one evokes the separation of the military personnel in two categories: "the people intended to fight" (troops on foot and troops on horseback) and "those who follow" (all the servants, doctors and other personnel. non-combatant soldiers). Thirdly, we state what are the functions and responsibilities of a general: “[…] he is in charge of the civil and military administration of the province where he commands, of assembling the dispersed troops, of training them. army corps and to maintain discipline […] ”. This description of responsibility refers to the administrative system of Themes (Greek: θεματα: Themata)[6]

Chapter II-On who the General should be[edit]

This chapter sets out many qualities or aspects that a good general or strategist (Greek: στρατηγός, strategos) should possess. Here is the list of the most important:[6]

Conclusions[edit]

The twenty first chapters are largely taken from Strategikon written during the reign of the Emperor Maurice between 582 and 602, but they were given at the end of the day and adapted according to the vision of Leon VI around the 10th century.


The text contains some drafting problems, it falls very often in unnecessary repetition and word use, despite the promises of the Emperor's preface to the reader: "I am me not dive elegance and got more attached to the essence of things than to the ornament of speech. I tried as much as I could to make my narration simple, clear and precise.[6]

Patrologia Graeca, Vol. 107 contains the original Greek text of the Tactica and a Latin translation (coll. 669-1116)

J.P. Migne's

The 1917 is available at Open Library. (Original Greek text and a preface in Latin)

edition of Rezső Vári