Flavius Vegetius Renatus, Epitoma rei militaris manuscript, circa 12th century

Summary

Creator:

Anonymous

Abstract:

This Flavius Vegtius Renatus Epitoma rei militaris manuscript was produced circa twelfth century on vellum.

Extent:

63 leaves (plus 2 blank)

Language:

English

Sponsor:

Hubert S. Smith Naval Collection

Authors:

Collection processed and finding aid created by Clements Staff and Jayne Ptolemy, 2014

Background

Scope and Content:

Epitoma rei militaris. [Incipit] Flauij. vegetii. renati. viri illustris epitoma instituto rei militaris. de cōmentarijs catonis augusti. Traiani. adriani. et erumptorii [i.e. Frontini] Libri numero. iiii.

This Flavius Vegtius Renatus, Epitoma rei militaris manuscript was produced circa 12th century on vellum. It is 63 leaves (plus 2 blank), with small characters; the titles of books and chapters are in red, and some capitals are drawn in red or green. This copy was executed in Europe (likely Northern France or England). The first leaf contains the name "Sir Simeon Stuart Bart." (18th century). A fragment of a contemporary manuscript (1 leaf at the beginning and 1 at the end) was supplied for protection. The binding is 19th century brown morocco, blind tooled, with gilt edges, by W. Pratt.

The treatise is divided into four books, concerning army reform, the duties of soldiers and officers, military maxims, fortifications and sieges, and naval matters.

Biographical / Historical:

Flavius Vegetius Renatus, a Roman military expert and bureaucrat, lived during the fourth century AD and around 380 AD wrote the Epitoma rei militaris, also known as the De Rei Militari, possibly for the current Roman Emperor. The Epitoma rei militaris influenced European military tactics during the Middle Ages.

Acquisition Information:

Donated by Mary Parker Smith, 1954. M-972 .

Processing information:

Cataloging funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC). This collection has been processed according to minimal processing procedures and may be revised, expanded, or updated in the future.

Arrangement:

This collection is a single bound volume.

Rules or Conventions:

Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Related

Additional Descriptive Data:

Bibliography

Allmand, Christopher. The De Re Militari of Vegetius: The Reception, Transmission and Legacy of a Roman Text in the Middle Ages. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011.

"Vegetius." Encylcopedia Britannica. Encylcopaedia Britannica Online Academic Edition. Encylopaedia Britannica Inc., 2014. Web. Accessed 28 May 2014.

Subjects

Click on terms below to find any related finding aids on this site.

Subjects:

Tactics.
Military art and science.
Military art and science--Early works to 1800.
Military art and science--History--Medieval, 500-1500.
Military art and science--Quotations, maxims, etc.
Naval art and science--Early works to 1800.
Naval tactics.
Siege warfare.

Formats:

Treatises.

Names:

Vegetius Renatus, Flavius.