Vegetius, Flavius Renatus

Roman military historian and theoretician who lived at the end of the fourth and the beginning of the fifth centuries.

From 390 to 410, Vegetius wrote the treatise The Military Institutions of the Romans in four books (118 chapters)—the first systematic work on the military art of Rome that has come down to us. It was compiled on the basis of Roman sources that have not been preserved. The work contains a survey of Roman military art of the past; idealizing this, Vegetius called for a reorganization of the army. Set forth in the work are a system of military training, organization, armament, military dispositions, and tactical devices, as well as rules for waging war, defense, laying siege to fortresses, and naval combat. Vegetius’ work was widely disseminated during the Middle Ages.