Source edition
Arrian. Arriani Nicomediensis Scripta Minora. Hercher, Rudolf; Eberhard, Alfred, editors. Leipzig: Teubner, 1885.
Source data
Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This work, written by the governor Arrian (referring to himself as "Xenophon"), is a military and tactical treatise that details the marching order and battle formation to be adopted by the Roman army against an invasion of the nomadic Alans. The text begins by prescribing a meticulous marching order designed to ensure safe transit to the destination, along with the specific weaponry and positioning upon arrival at the camp. In the middle section, the author outlines a concrete defensive formation to counter the Alans' formidable cavalry, instructing infantry to take high ground, with long spears in the front ranks and archers, javelin throwers, artillery, and cavalry positioned strategically behind them. The final part describes the sequence of actual combat, from the initial battle cries and concentrated firepower upon the enemy's approach, to the close-quarters defense of the phalanx, and finally, the orderly pursuit by cavalry and light troops after the enemy is repulsed. Written in the form of practical military instructions, this work vividly presents the highly organized tactics and operational procedures of the Roman army of the period.