Vegetius - De re militari - 1592

Renatus Flavius Vegetius [Végèce]
De re militari, four books. After all editions, corrected with the help of ancient books, by Godescalco Stewechio Heusdano. Added are Sextus Julius Frontinus' Strategemata in four books: Aelian on the training of armies: Modestus on military terminology: Roman camp arrangements from Polybius' histories. Also included is a separate commentary by the same G. Stewechio on Flavius Vegetius. Additionally, there are conjectures and notes by the same G. Stewechio and Franciscus Modi on Julius Frontinus.

From the Plantin Office in Leiden (Lugduni Batavorum) • by Franciscus Raphelengius | 1592

Second Plantin edition with comments by Steewech, following the 1585 edition. A title vignette by the printer on the two title pages. A beautiful edition, valued.
Illustrated edition with 51 wood engravings in- and out-of-text (military machines, military maneuvers...) and a folding plate depicting the organization of a Roman camp.
Stwachius's comments (1557-1588) have a particular title page: Godescalci Stewechii Commentarius ad Flavi Vegeti Renati, De re militari libros. Accessed by the same G. Stewechii & Franciscus Modius... The text of Polybius (Book VI of his History) was translated into Latin by Janus Lascaris (1445-1535). The military dictionary Modesti libellus De vocabulis rei militaris was developed by Pomponius Laetus (1425-1497, or Leto) and his students based on Végèce's work.

Period soft full vellum binding
Title in ink on the back, back stained.

Collation: *8 A-V8; +8 Aa-Zz8 Aaa-Iii8: 168+264 pages

Végèce was a Roman military writer from the second half of the 4th century, and aside from the fact that he was an official of the Empire, little is known about his life. From this author, we have a treatise in five parts: the first deals with recruits and recruitment, the second with the organization of the Legion and the ancient Roman armies, the third with military maneuvers in campaign, the fourth with the attack and defense of fortresses, and the fifth concerns naval tactics. Steewech, the commentator of this edition, was a professor at Pont-à-Mousson.

From the library of Robert Smart armorié