STRATEGIKON COMMANDS EXPLAINED / DISCUSSED - Part 3: The Strategikon

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STRATEGIKON COMMANDS EXPLAINED / DISCUSSED Part 3: The Strategikon Maurikios (Maurice), commands from: Maurikios: Strategikon, Handbook of Byzantine Military Strategy, trans. by George T. Dennis, (Philadelphia 1984).

(book XII part B, ch. 14-17) Tactica Gravis Armatura Forming up

1. Silentium XII,14; XII, 24 2. Mandata captate XII, 14; XII, 24 3. Non vos turbatis XII, 14; XII, 24 4. Ordinem servate XII, 14; XII, 24 5. Bando sequute XII,14; XII, 24 6. Nemo demittat bandum XII, 4; XII, 24 7. (et) inimicos seque XII, 4

Marching towards the enemy

8. Ad Octo XII, 16 9. Exi XII, 16 10. Exi a stemma XII, 24 11. Move XII, 16; XII, 24 12. State XII, 16 13. Largia ad ambas partes XII, 16; XII, 24 14. Largia ad dextram XII, 24 15. Intra XII, 16; XII, XII, 24 16. Acia in acia XII, 16 17. Ad conto clina, move XII, 16 18. Ad scuto clina, move XII, 6 19. Undique servate XII, 16 20. Depone dextra XII, 16; XII, 24 21. Depone senestra XII, 16; XII, 24 22. Redi XII, 16; XII, 24 23. Serva milix ordinem positum XII, 16 24. Et tu bandifer ipsum serve XII, 16 25. Medii partitis XII, 16 26. Ad difallangiam XII, 16 27. Primi state XII, 16; XII, 24 28. Secundi exite XII, 16; XII, 24 29. Reverte XII, 16 30. Primi state (fermi?), Secundi ad difalangiam exite

XII, 16 31. Iunge XII, 16; XII, 24 32. Muta locum XII, 16 33. Transforma XII, 16; XII, 24 34. Ad fulcon XII, 16; XII, 24 35. Ami fulco XII, 24 36. Iunge fulco XII, 24 37. Dirige frontem XII, 16; XII, 24

Facing the enemy

38. Parati XII, 16 39. Aiuta... Deus XII, 16; XII, 24

Drill of the heavy infantry.

1. Silence 2. Observe orders 3. Dont worry 4. Keep your position 5. Follow the standard 6. Dont leave the standard 7. (but) pursue the enemy

8. By eights 9. March out 10. March out uniformly (lockstep?) 11. March 12. Halt 13. Thin out the line (move to both sides) 14. Expand to the right 15. Enter (increase formation depth) 16. Files in files 17. To the right, face, march 18. To the left, face, march 19. Face in both directions 20. Change front to the right 21. Change front to the left 22. Resume front 23. Soldier, keep your position 24. Standard bearer, keep your position 25. Divide in the middle 26. Form double phalanx 27. First rank halt 28. Second rank march out 29. Return 30. First rank halt, second rank form double falanx

31. Close ranks 32. Change places (front to rear) 33. About face. (turn in place) 34. Form the fulcum 35. Proceed in the fulcum 36. Close ranks into a fulcum 37. Straighten out the front

38. Ready 39. Help us... O God

STRATEGIKON COMMANDS EXPLAINED / DISCUSSED - Part 3: The Strategikon

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40. Nobiscum (Deus) 41. Kyrie eleison

______________________________________ (book III, ch. 2-5)

42. Largiter ambula The mandators speech:

43. Silentium III, 5 44. Nemo demittat III,5 45. Nemo antecedat bandum III,5 46. Sive minas sive recala facis III,5 47. OR : Sic venias vero aequalis faciei 48. Bandum capta III,5 49. Ipso seque cum bando milix III, 5 50. Talis est commodum militis barbati III, 5 51. Si vero bandum demittes eo modo non vero vices

III, 5 52. Serva milix ordinem III, 5 53. post eum ipse te serva III, 5 54. (Et tu) bandifer III, 5 55. Sive pugnas sive seques inimicum sive recala

facis III, 5 56. OR : Sive pugnas sive seques inimicum sive

aequalis facies 57. Non forte minare ut ne sparges tu suum ordinem

III, 5 58. Sic venias vero aequalis facies III, 5 59. Move III, 5 60. Sta III, 5 61. Equaliter ambula III, 5 62. Largiter ambula III, 2 63. Ad latus stringe III, 3; III, 5 64. Ad decarchas III, 5 65. Ad pentarchas III, 5 66. Iunge III, 4; III, 5 67. Suscipe III, 5 68. Percute III, 5 69. Cursu mina III, 5 70. Cum ordine seque III, 5 71. Cede III, 5 72. Torna mina III, 5 73. Depone (au) senestra III, 5 74. Depone (au) dextra III, 5 75. Transforma III, 5 76. Transmuta III, 5; III, 15 77. Exi III, 14

40. (God be) with us (battle cry) 41. Lord have mercy (thrice, when marching from the

camp) ___________________________________ Drill of the cavalry

42. Open order, march The mandators speech:

43. Silence. 44. No one should leave (the standard) 45. No one should go ahead of the standard. 46. Whether you are attacking or withdrawing 47. Alternative (Dennis) 48. Pay attention to the standard. 49. Soldier, follow it with your bandum. 50. This is the proper conduct of a real soldier. 51. If you leave the standard then you will not be

victorious. 52. Soldier, keep in file. 53. Keep yourself behind it (the standard). 54. (And you) standard bearer, 55. whether you are fighting or pursuing the enemy or

withdrawing, 56. Alternative (Dennis)

57. do not attack impetuously lest you break up your

file 58. Advance aligned with the other in your rank 59. March 60. Halt 61. In line. March. Move (Advance) uniformly. 62. Open order. March. 63. By the flank, close. (close ranks) 64. To the dekarchs 65. To the Pentarchs 66. Close ranks 67. First line falls back in second. 68. Charge 69. Charge at a gallop. 70. Follow in order (ranks closed) 71. Give way (fall back in open order) 72. Turn. Attack (wheel back) 73. To the left. Change front. 74. To the right. Change front. 75. About face. (turn in place) 76. Change place (march to the back). 77. Head out.