Title
Vegetius and Julius Caesar: A Proper Roman General
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Project Type
Oral Presentation
Publication Date
4-23-2020
Department or Program
Classics, Philosophy, and Religion
College
College of Arts and Sciences
Faculty Mentor #1
Houghtalin, Liane
Abstract
Little is known about Vegetius, who wrote a military handbook, Epitoma Rei Militaris (RM), most likely for Emperor Theodosius I (although even that is not certain) during the late 3rd or early 4th century CE. His manuscript is extensive, examining a wide array of military practices and norms that a proper Roman army should follow. The RM covers specific tasks and responsibilities of a general, which Vegetius appears to have drawn from earlier Roman writers, mainly those from the late Republic and early Principate. Comparing Vegetius’s writings to those of Julius Caesar, specifically to Caesar’s own narrative of his actions in Book I of De Bello Gallico (BG), provides insight into how Roman ideals of good military leadership progressed through centuries of history