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The byzantine Taktika during the 6th century AD : thery and practice

Μελέτες

• Χριστοδούλου, Δημήτριος Ν.

Ever since the ancient Greeks started to write down texts they dedicated a considerable effort to describe and organize war, mainly in military manuals that are known as Taktika. This practice was transmitted in due time to the Romans and flourished in both East and West until the end of antiquity. During the 5th century AD the practice of writing military manuals was discontinued in the West but was rejuvenated in the East during the 6th century, probably as a result of the continuous wars in which the East Roman Empire was involved at the time.During that century a plethora of new Taktika was written, and at least eleven of them have been wholly or partially preserved. Of these the most important (and extensive) are Syrianus Magisteri Perì Strategikes (De re strategica, ca 550 AD) and Maurice’s Stategikon (ca 600 AD).These two manuals exemplify a unique Byzantine trend: the first (De re strategica) is heavily anachronistic and is devoted mostly to long obsolete heavy infantry warfare. On the opposite hand the Stategikon is up to date and concentrates on the new Byzantine bow armed heavy cavalry. Through the comparative study of the two manuals one can approach not only two opposing schools of military thought, but also deeper Byzantine duality: Byzantium as a keeper —cum— guardian of the graeco-roman tradition and Byzantium as a state of contemporary times that had to absorb military innovations in order to survive.

• History and Archaeology
• Languages and Literature

• Πολιτισμός, Βυζαντινός
• Βυζαντινή φιλολογία

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