selected Roman military examples

Frontinus arranges military examples by tactical problem. The selected passages below gather the Scythian, Parthian, Armenian, Mithridatic, Dacian, Cimbrian, and Pontic frontier cases from that handbook.

The selection includes Darius deceiving the Scythians, Atheas and Thamyris, Philip facing Scythians, Ventidius and Parthian archery, Pompey against Mithridates, Dacian warning examples, and the Cyzicus siege tradition.

The English is a Good Works Translation from the Latin passages printed below.

Translation

1.1.6 -- Ventidius and Pacorus

In the Parthian war against King Pacorus, Ventidius knew that a certain Pharnaeus, a Cyrrhestian by nation and one of those who seemed to be allies, was reporting to the Parthians everything that was done among his own men. He turned the barbarian's treachery to his own advantage. The things he most wanted to happen, he pretended to fear would happen; the things he feared, he pretended to desire.

Therefore, anxious that the Parthians not cross the Euphrates before the legions which he had in Cappadocia beyond Taurus could come to him, he dealt carefully with the traitor so that, with his usual treachery, he would persuade the Parthians to lead their army across at Zeugma, where the road is shortest and the Euphrates runs in a lowered channel. If they came that way, he asserted, he would use the advantage of the hills to elude their archers; he feared everything, however, if they threw themselves lower down through the open plains. Induced by this assertion, the barbarians brought their army by the lower circuit. While they joined broader banks, and for that reason more laborious bridges, and built the apparatus, they spent more than forty days. Ventidius used that interval to gather his forces. Receiving them three days before the Parthian arrived, he joined battle, defeated Pacorus, and killed him.

1.1.7 -- Mithridates Leaves Pompey's Blockade

When Pompey was surrounding him with siege-lines, Mithridates was planning flight for the next day. To conceal this plan, he foraged more widely, even as far as valleys lying close to the enemy; he also arranged conversations with many people for the following day to turn suspicion away, and ordered more frequent fires to be made throughout the whole camp. Then, in the second watch, he led his column out past the very camps of the enemy.

1.2.6 -- Marius Tests the Gauls and Ligurians

Gaius Marius the consul, in the Cimbrian and Teutonic war, sent letters to the Gauls and Ligurians to test their loyalty. The first part of the letters instructed them not to open the inner letters, which had been sealed, before a certain time. He later demanded them back before the appointed day, and because he found them unsealed, he understood that hostile things were being planned.

1.4.10 -- Xenophon Crosses Against the Armenians

When the Armenians held the farther bank, Xenophon ordered two approaches to be sought. After being driven back from the lower ford, he crossed to the upper; when he was prevented from there too by the enemy's approach, he returned to the lower ford. He had ordered part of the soldiers to remain behind, so that, when the Armenians returned to guard the lower ford, they could cross by the upper. The Armenians, believing all would run down to the lower crossing, were deceived by those who remained. When these men had crossed the ford without resistance, they became defenders of their own men as they crossed.

1.5.3 -- Catulus Escapes the Cimbri

Quintus Lutatius Catulus, when pressed by the Cimbri, had one hope of safety: to free himself across the river whose bank the enemy held. He showed his forces on the nearest mountain as if he would place camp there. He instructed his men not to loosen packs, set down loads, or let anyone leave the ranks and standards. To strengthen the enemy's belief, he ordered a few tents to be raised in sight, fires to be made, some men to build a rampart, and others to go out to gather wood where they could be seen. The Cimbri, thinking this was truly happening, chose a place for their own camp and scattered into the neighboring fields to obtain what they needed for a stay. They gave Catulus the chance not only to cross the river but also to attack their camp.

1.5.18 -- Sulla Escapes Archelaus in Cappadocia

The same Sulla, when he was pressed in Cappadocia by the unfavorable ground and the multitude of enemies against Archelaus, the commander of Mithridates, mentioned peace. By the time inserted and even by truces, the attention of his opponents was drawn away, and through this he escaped.

1.5.25 -- Darius Leaves Dogs and Asses for the Scythians

Darius, to deceive the Scythians about his departure, left dogs and asses in the camp. When the enemy heard them barking and braying, he believed Darius remained.

1.10.4 -- Scorylo and the Dacian Warning

Scorylo, leader of the Dacians, knew that the Roman people were divided by arms in civil war. Yet he did not think they should be attacked, because harmony among citizens could grow together through an external war. In sight of his people he set two dogs against each other; while they were fighting very fiercely among themselves, he showed them a wolf. Immediately the dogs left their anger against each other and attacked the wolf. By this example he kept the barbarians from an attack that would have helped the Romans.

1.11.19 -- Cyrus Rouses the Persians

Cyrus, king of the Persians, to stir the spirits of his people, tired them for a whole day in cutting down a certain forest. Then the next day he gave them a very generous feast and asked which day pleased them more. When they approved the present day, he said, "Yet through these things one must come to those; for you cannot be free and happy unless you defeat the Medes." In this way he stirred them to desire battle.

1.11.20 -- Sulla Makes His Troops Ask for Battle

Lucius Sulla, because his soldiers were rather slow for battle against Archelaus, the commander of Mithridates, near Piraeus, forced them by exhausting them with work to ask of their own accord for the signal for battle.

2.1.12 -- Pompey Forces Mithridates to Fight by Night

Gnaeus Pompey, wishing to compel the fleeing Mithridates to battle, chose night as the time for fighting, so that he could set himself in the way of the man departing. Prepared in this way, he threw upon the enemy a sudden necessity of deciding the issue. Besides this, he arranged his battle line so that the opposing moon dazzled the eyes of the Pontic men, while it made the enemy bright and visible to his own.

2.1.14 -- Lucullus at Tigranocerta

Lucullus, against Mithridates and Tigranes in Greater Armenia near Tigranocerta, had not more than fifteen thousand armed men, while the enemy had an innumerable multitude, and by that very fact one unwieldy. Using this disadvantage of theirs, he attacked the enemy battle line before it had been set in order and at once scattered it so completely that the kings themselves fled after throwing away their insignia.

2.2.3 -- Caesar Against Pharnaces

When Gaius Caesar was about to fight against Pharnaces, son of Mithridates, he drew up his battle line on a hill. This made victory easy for him, for javelins sent from the height against the barbarians as they came up immediately turned them away.

2.2.4 -- Lucullus Attacks Tigranes and Mithridates

When Lucullus was about to fight against Mithridates and Tigranes in Greater Armenia near Tigranocerta, he quickly seized the flat summit of a nearby hill with part of his forces, ran down upon the enemies below, and attacked their cavalry on the flank. Pursuing them as they turned away and immediately threw their own infantry into disorder, he brought back a very famous victory.

2.2.5 -- Ventidius Closes with the Parthian Archers

Against the Parthians, Ventidius did not lead his soldier out before they were no more than five hundred paces away. By a sudden charge he came so close that, pressed near them, he eluded the arrows they used from a distance. Because by this plan he had also displayed a certain appearance of confidence, he quickly defeated the barbarians.

2.2.8 -- Marius Sets the Sun, Wind, and Dust Against the Cimbri

When Marius was about to fight the Cimbri and Teutones on an appointed day, he placed his soldiers, strengthened with food, before the camp, so that, over the distance by which the opponents were separated, the army of the enemy would be broken first by the labor of the march. Then he set another disadvantage against their fatigue, arranging his own battle line so that the army of the barbarians was occupied by the opposing sun, wind, and dust.

2.3.15 -- Antony Forms a Testudo Against Parthian Arrows

Marcus Antony, against the Parthians, who were overwhelming his army with an infinite multitude of arrows, ordered his men to crouch down and form a tortoise. Over this the arrows passed; the enemy was exhausted without harm to the soldiers.

2.4.3 -- Minucius Rufus Against Scordisci and Dacians

The commander Minucius Rufus, when he was pressed by the Scordisci and Dacians, to whom he was unequal in number, sent ahead his brother and a few horsemen with trumpeters. He instructed them that, when they saw battle joined, they should show themselves suddenly from a different side and order the trumpeters to sound. As the ridges of the mountains echoed, the appearance of a huge multitude was spread before the enemy. Terrified by this, they turned their backs.

2.4.20 -- Atheas, King of the Scythians

Atheas, king of the Scythians, when he was fighting against a larger army of the Triballi, ordered herds of asses and oxen to be brought by women, boys, and the whole noncombatant crowd toward the enemy's rear line, with upright spears carried before them. Then he spread the report that reinforcements were arriving for him from the farther Scythians. By this assertion he turned the enemy away.

2.5.5 -- Thamyris, Queen of the Scythians

Thamyris, queen of the Scythians, drew out Cyrus, commander of the Persians, who was contending with equal force, by feigning fear into narrow places known to her own soldier. There, suddenly turning the column and aided by the nature of the place, she defeated him.

2.5.8 -- Fulvius Draws Out the Cimbri

In the Cimbrian war, when camps had been placed opposite the enemy, the commander Fulvius ordered his cavalry to come up to the enemy fortifications, provoke the barbarians, and return in feigned flight. When he had done this for several days and the Cimbri followed eagerly, he noticed that their camp was usually stripped bare. Therefore, after keeping up the custom with part of the army, he himself sat hidden with light-armed men behind the enemy camp. When the enemy poured out in their usual way, he suddenly attacked, broke into the deserted rampart, and captured the camp.

2.5.30 -- Mithridates Sends Adathas Against Lucullus

Mithridates, often surpassed in courage by Lucullus, attacked him by treachery. He suborned a certain Adathas, outstanding in strength, to desert and, after trust had been gained, to carry out the deed against the enemy. Adathas attempted it energetically, but without success. Received by Lucullus into a troop of horsemen, he was kept under silent guard, because it was not right either to trust a sudden deserter or to restrain the rest. Afterward, when by frequent raids he showed ready and strenuous service and acquired trust, he chose a time when the headquarters staff had been sent away and quiet had come to everyone in camp, making the praetorium more secluded. Chance helped Lucullus. The man who would have been admitted even to him awake found him resting at that time, tired by nightly thought. Then, as if about to report something sudden and necessary, he wished to enter and was stubbornly kept out by servants caring for their master's health. Fearing he was suspected, he fled back to Mithridates without result, using the horses he had ready before the gate.

2.5.33 -- Pompey Sets an Ambush in Armenia

The same Pompey, against Mithridates in Armenia, where the king was stronger in number and kind of cavalry, placed three thousand light-armed men and five hundred cavalry by night in a valley under brushwood between the two camps. Then, at first light, he sent his cavalry against the enemy outpost, formed so that, when the whole enemy cavalry had entered battle with the army, they would gradually give ground while preserving their ranks, until they gave space for the men placed behind for that purpose to rise. When this happened as intended, those who had seemed to turn their backs turned back; he cut down the shaken enemy in the middle and even stabbed the horses themselves when infantry came near. By this battle he took from the king the confidence he had in his cavalry forces.

2.5.35 -- Cassius Against the Parthians

Gaius Cassius in Syria, against the Parthians and their commander Osaces, showed cavalry in front while hiding infantry behind them in broken ground. Then, when the cavalry gave ground and withdrew through known places, he led the army of the Parthians into the prepared ambush and cut it down.

2.5.36 -- Ventidius Draws Out Parthians and Labienus

Ventidius, while holding his own men back by feigned fear, drew out the Parthians and Labienus, who were eager from the successes of their victories. When he had led them into unfavorable ground, he attacked them by surprise and defeated them so thoroughly that, after Labienus was deserted, the Parthians left the province.

2.5.37 -- Ventidius Ambushes Pharnastanes' Parthians

The same Ventidius, against the Parthians of Pharnastanes, when he himself had a small number of soldiers and saw confidence growing among them from their multitude, placed eighteen cohorts at the side of the camp in a dark valley, with cavalry positioned behind the infantry. Then he sent a very few soldiers against the enemy. When these, by feigned flight, had drawn the enemy following in disorder beyond the place of ambush, the line rose from the flank, drove them headlong into flight, and killed them, including Pharnastanes.

2.7.12 -- Marius Points to the Cimbrian Water

Marius, against the Cimbri and Teutones, when his camp-markers had through carelessness chosen a place for camp so that the water was under the power of the barbarians, showed the enemy with his finger when his men demanded water and said, "It must be sought from there." By this impulse he brought it about that the barbarians were immediately removed.

2.8.12 -- Sulla Shames the Mithridatic Rout

Lucius Sulla, when his legions were already giving way before the Mithridatic army under Archelaus, ran forward into the front line with drawn sword and, calling to the soldiers, said that if anyone asked where they had left their commander, they should answer: fighting in Boeotia. Through shame at this, all followed him.

2.8.14 -- Philip Hardens His Men Against the Scythians

Philip, fearing that his men would not endure the attack of the Scythians, placed the most faithful of his cavalry behind them and ordered them not to allow any fellow soldier to flee from the battle line, and to slaughter those who went away more persistently. By this warning he brought it about that even the most timid preferred to be killed by enemies rather than by their own men, and he obtained victory.

2.9.5 -- Corbulo and the Armenians at Tigranocerta

Domitius Corbulo, when he was besieging Tigranocerta and the Armenians seemed likely to endure the siege stubbornly, punished Vadandus, one of the nobles whom he had captured, and sent his head, hurled by a ballista, inside the enemy fortifications. By chance it fell in the middle of a council which the barbarians were holding at that moment. At the sight of it, struck down as if by a portent, they hastened to surrender.

2.13.7 -- Antony Delays His March Against the Parthians

Antony, when he was withdrawing his army from the pressing Parthians and, whenever he moved at first light, the departing column was harassed by the arrows of the barbarians, kept his men until the fifth hour and created the belief that they were remaining in camp. With the Parthians persuaded by this and gone away, he completed a proper march through the rest of the day without interruption.

3.13.6 -- Lucullus Sends Word to Cyzicus

Lucius Lucullus, wishing to inform the Cyzicenes besieged by Mithridates of his arrival, found the entrance of the city held by enemy garrisons; the one narrow entrance joins the island to the mainland by a small bridge. He ordered one of his soldiers, skilled in swimming and nautical art, to make the seven-mile crossing while sitting on two inflated skins which had letters sewn into them and which he had joined from the lower side by two little bars set apart from each other. The common soldier did this so skillfully that, with his legs hanging down like rudders, he directed his course and deceived those watching from the post at a distance by the appearance of a sea creature.

3.17.5 -- Fimbria Against Mithridates' Son

Flavius Fimbria in Asia, near the Rhyndacus against the son of Mithridates, drew out arms from the side, then struck a ditch in front, and kept the soldier quiet on the rampart until the enemy cavalry entered the narrow places of the fortifications. Then, making a sortie, he killed six thousand of them.

4.1.21 -- Corbulo Disciplines Troops in Armenia

Domitius Corbulo in Armenia ordered two cavalry wings and three cohorts, which had yielded to the enemy at the fort Initia, to pitch outside the rampart until they redeemed their disgrace by constant labor and successful raids.

4.1.28 -- Corbulo and Aemilius Rufus in Armenia

Domitius Corbulo in Armenia, because Aemilius Rufus, prefect of cavalry, had yielded to the enemy and had a cavalry wing insufficiently equipped with arms, tore his clothes by means of a lictor and ordered him, in that foul state of dress, to stand in the headquarters until he was dismissed.

4.2.3 -- Corbulo Withstands the Parthians

Domitius Corbulo, after discipline had been restored, withstood the Parthians with two legions and very few auxiliaries.

4.5.21 -- Mithridates Shows Captives to Cyzicus

When Mithridates was attacking Cyzicus, he brought forward captives of that city and showed them to those under siege, thinking that by pity for their own people he would compel the townsmen to surrender. But the captives, encouraging them to endure death bravely, persevered in preserving faith with the Romans.

4.7.2 -- Corbulo's Spade Saying

Domitius Corbulo used to say that the enemy must be defeated by the mattock, that is, by works.

Colophon

This Good Works Translation was made from selected Latin passages of Sextus Julius Frontinus, Strategemata. The selection is thematic rather than complete.

The English translation is independently derived from the Latin. No modern English translation was used as the base text.

Compiled for the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.

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Source Text: Latin

### Liber I

#### 1.1.6. Ventidius and Pacorus

Ventidius Parthico bello adversus Pacorum regem, non ignarus Pharnaeum quendam, natione Cyrrhestem, ex his qui socii videbantur, omnia quae apud ipsos agerentur nuntiare Parthis, perfidiam barbari ad utilitates suas convertit. Nam quae maxime fieri cupiebat, ea vereri se ne acciderent, quae timebat, ea ut evenirent optare simulabat. Sollicitus itaque, ne Parthi ante transirent Euphraten, quam sibi supervenirent legiones, quas in Cappadocia trans Taurum habebat, studiose cum proditore egit, uti sollemni perfidia Parthis suaderet, per Zeugma traicerent exercitum, qua et brevissimum iter est et demisso alveo Euphrates decurrit; namque si illa venirent, asseverabat se opportunitate collium usurum ad eludendos sagittarios, omnia autem vereri, si se infra per patentis campos proiecissent. Inducti hac affirmatione barbari inferiore itinere per circuitum adduxerunt exercitum dumque fusiores ripas et ob hoc operosiores ponte[s] iungunt instrumentaque moliuntur, quadraginta amplius dies impenderunt. Quo spatio Ventidius ad contrahendas usus est copias eisque triduo, antequam Parthus adveniret, receptis acie commissa vicit Pacorum et interfecit.

#### 1.1.7. Mithridates Leaves Pompey's Blockade

Mithridates, circumvallante Pompeio, fugam in proximum diem moliens, huius consilii obscurandi causa latius et usque ad applicitas hosti valles pabulatus, colloquia quoque cum pluribus avertendae suspicionis causa in posterum constituit, ignes etiam frequentiores per tota castra fieri iussit; secunda deinde vigilia praeter ipsa hostium castra agmen eduxit.

#### 1.2.6. Marius Tests the Gauls and Ligurians

C. Marius consul bello Cimbrico et Teutonico ad excutiendam Gallorum et Ligurum fidem litteras eis misit, quarum pars prior praeceperat, ne interiores, quae praesignatae erant, ante certum tempus aperirentur. Easdem postea ante praestitutum diem repetiit et, quia resignatas reppererat, intellexit hostilia agitari. [Est et aliud explorandi genus, quo ipsi duces nullo extrinsecus adiutorio per se provident, sicut:]

#### 1.4.10. Xenophon Crosses Against the Armenians

Xenophon, ulteriorem ripam Armeniis tenentibus, duos iussit quaeri aditus; et cum a vado inferiore repulsus esset, transiit ad superius, inde quoque prohibitus hostium occursu repetit vadum inferius, iussa quidem militum parte subsistere, quae, cum Armenii ad inferioris vadi tutelam redissent, per superius transgrederetur. Armenii, credentes decursuros omnes, decepti sunt a remanentibus; hi cum resistente nullo vadum superassent, transeuntium suorum fuere propugnatores.

#### 1.5.3. Catulus Escapes the Cimbri

Q. Lutatius Catulus, cum a Cimbris pulsus unam spem salutis haberet, si flumen liberasset, cuius ripam hostes tenebant, in proximo monte copias ostendit, tamquam ibi castra positurus. Ac praecepit suis, ne sarcinas solverent aut onera deponerent neve quis ab ordinibus signisque discederet; et quo magis persuasionem hostium confirmaret, pauca tabernacula in conspectu erigi iussit ignesque fieri et quosdam vallum struere, quosdam in lignationem, ut conspicerentur, exire. Quod Cimbri vere agi existimantes et ipsi castris delegerunt locum dispersique in proximos agros ad comparanda ea, quae mansuris necessaria sunt, occasionem dederunt Catulo non solum flumen traiciendi, sed etiam castra eorum infestandi.

#### 1.5.18. Sulla Escapes Archelaus in Cappadocia

Idem adversus Archelaum praefectum Mithridatis in Cappadocia, iniquitate locorum et multitudine hostium pressus, fecit pacis mentionem interpositoque tempore etiam indutiarum et per haec avocata intentione adversari[or]um evasit.

#### 1.5.25. Darius Leaves Dogs and Asses for the Scythians

Darius, ut falleret Scythas discessu, canes atque asinos in castris reliquit. Quos cum latrantes rudentesque hostis audiret, remanere Darium credidit.

#### 1.10.4. Scorylo and the Dacian Warning

Scorylo, dux Dacorum, cum sciret dissociatum armis civilibus populum Romanum neque tamen sibi temptandum arbitraretur, quia externo bello posset concordia inter cives coalescere, duos canes in conspectu popularium commisit iisque acerrime inter ipsos pugnantibus lupum ostendit, quem protinus canes omissa inter se ira adgressi sunt. Quo exemplo prohibuit barbaros ab impetu Romanis profuturo.

#### 1.11.19. Cyrus Rouses the Persians

Cyrus, rex Persarum, ut concitaret animos popularium, tota die in excidenda silva quadam eos fatigavit; deinde postridie praestitit eis liberalissimas epulas et interrogavit, utro magis gauderent. Cumque ei praesentia probassent, "atqui per haec", inquit, "ad illa perveniendum est; nam liberi beatique esse, nisi Medos viceritis, non potestis", atque ita eos ad cupiditatem proelii concitavit.

#### 1.11.20. Sulla Makes His Troops Ask for Battle

L. Sulla, quia adversus Archelaum praefectum Mithridatis apud Pirea pigrioribus ad proelium militibus utebatur, opere eos fatigando compulit ad poscendum ultro pugnae signum.

### Liber II

#### 2.1.12. Pompey Forces Mithridates to Fight by Night

Cn. Pompeius, fugientem Mithridatem cupiens ad proelium compellere, elegit tempus dimicationi nocturnum, ut abeunti se opponeret. Atque ita praeparatus subitam hostibus necessitatem decernendi iniecit. Praeterea sic constituit aciem, ut Ponticorum quidem oculos adversa luna praestringeret, suis autem inlustrem et conspicuum praeberet hostem.

#### 2.1.14. Lucullus at Tigranocerta

Lucullus adversus Mithridatem et Tigranem in Armenia Maiore apud Tigranocertam, cum ipse non amplius quindecim milia armatorum haberet, hostis autem innumerabilem multitudinem eoque ipso inhabilem, usus hoc eius incommodo nondum ordinatam hostium aciem invasit atque ita protinus dissipavit, ut ipsi quoque reges abiectis insignibus fugerent.

#### 2.2.3. Caesar Against Pharnaces

C. Caesar adversus Pharnacem Mithridatis filium dimicaturus in colle instruxit aciem; quae res expeditam ei victoriam fecit, nam pila ex edito in subeuntis barbaros emissa protinus eos averterunt.

#### 2.2.4. Lucullus Attacks Tigranes and Mithridates

Lucullus adversus Mithridatem et Tigranem in Armenia Maiore apud Tigranocertam dimicaturus, collis proximi planum verticem raptim cum parte copiarum adeptus, in subiectos hostes decucurrit et equitatum eorum a latere invasit; aversumque et eorundem protinus pedites proturbantem insecutus clarissimam victoriam rettulit.

#### 2.2.5. Ventidius Closes with the Parthian Archers

Ventidius adversus Parthos non ante militem eduxit, quam illi quingentis non amplius passibus abessent, atque ita procursione subita adeo se admovit, ut sagittas, quibus ex longinquo usus est, comminus applicitus eluderet. Quo consilio, quia quandam etiam fiduciae speciem ostentaverat, celeriter barbaros debellavit.

#### 2.2.8. Marius Sets the Sun, Wind, and Dust Against the Cimbri

Marius adversus Cimbros ac Teutonos constituta die pugnaturus firmatum cibo militem ante castra conlocavit, ut per aliquantum spatii, quo adversarii dirimebantur, exercitus hostium potius labore itineris profligaretur. Fatigationi deinde eorum incommodum aliud obiecit, ita ordinata suorum acie, ut adverso sole et vento et pulvere barbarorum occuparetur exercitus.

#### 2.3.15. Antony Forms a Testudo Against Parthian Arrows

M. Antonius adversus Parthos, qui infinita multitudine sagittarum exercitum eius obruebant, subsidere suos et testudinem facere iussit, supra quam transmissis sagittis sine militum noxa exhaustus est hostis.

#### 2.4.3. Minucius Rufus Against Scordisci and Dacians

Minucius Rufus imperator, cum a Scordiscis Dacisque premeretur, quibus impar erat numero, praemisit fratrem et paucos una equites cum aeneatoribus praecepitque, ut, cum vidisset contractum proelium, subitus ex diverso se ostenderet iuberetque concinere aeneatores; resonantibus montium iugis species ingentis multitudinis offusa est hostibus, qua perterriti dedere terga.

#### 2.4.20. Atheas, King of the Scythians

Atheas, rex Scytharum, cum adversus ampliorem Triballorum exercitum confligeret, iussit a feminis puerisque et omni imbelli turba greges asinorum ac boum ad postremam hostium aciem admoveri et erectas hastas praeferri; famam deinde diffudit, tamquam auxilia sibi ab ulterioribus Scythis adventarent. Qua asseveratione avertit hostem.

#### 2.5.5. Thamyris, Queen of the Scythians

Thamyris, Scytharum regina, Cyrum Persarum ducem aequo Marte certantem simulato metu elicuit ad notas militi suo angustias atque ibi, repente converso agmine, natura loci adiuta devicit.

#### 2.5.8. Fulvius Draws Out the Cimbri

Fulvius imperator Cimbrico bello collatis cum hoste castris equites suos iussit succedere ad munitiones eorum lacessitisque barbaris simulata fuga regredi. Hoc cum per aliquot dies fecisset, avide insequentibus Cimbris, animadvertit castra eorum solita nudari. Itaque per partem exercitus custodita consuetudine ipse cum expeditis post castra hostium consedit occultus effusisque eis ex more repente adortus et desertum proruit vallum et castra cepit.

#### 2.5.30. Mithridates Sends Adathas Against Lucullus

Mithridates, a Lucullo virtute frequenter superatus, insidiis eum appetiit, Adathante quodam eminente viribus subornato, ut transfugeret et fide parta hosti facinus perpetraret; quod is strenue quidem, sed sine eventu conatus est. Receptus enim a Lucullo in gregem equitum non sine tacita custodia habitus est, quia nec credi subito transfugae nec inhiberi reliquos oportebat. Cum deinde frequentibus excursionibus promptam et enixam operam exhiberet, fide acquisita tempus elegit, quo missa principia quietem omnibus castrensibus dabant praetoriumque secretius praestabant. Casus adiuvit Lucullum. Nam qui ad vigilantem usque admitteretur, fatigatum nocturnis cogitationibus illo tempore quiescentem invenit. Cum deinde, tamquam nuntiaturus subitum aliquid ac necessarium, intrare vellet et pertinaciter a servis valetudini domini consulentibus excluderetur, veritus, ne suspectus esset, equis quos ante portam paratos habebat ad Mithridatem refugit irritus.

#### 2.5.33. Pompey Sets an Ambush in Armenia

Idem adversus Mithridatem in Armenia, numero et genere equitum praevalentem, tria milia levis armaturae et D equites nocte in valle sub virgultis, quae inter bina castra erant, disposuit, prima deinde luce in stationem hostium emisit equites ita formatos, ut, cum universus cum exercitu hostium equitatus proelium inisset, servatis ordinibus paulatim cederent, donec spatium darent consurgendi a tergo ob hoc dispositis. Quod postquam ex sententia contigit, conversis qui terga dedisse videbantur, medium hostem trepidantem cecidit, ipsos etiam equos pedite comminus accedente confodit. Eoque proelio fiduciam regi, quam in equestribus copiis habebat, detraxit.

#### 2.5.35. Cassius Against the Parthians

C. Cassius in Syria adversus Parthos ducemque Osacen equitem ostendit a fronte, cum a tergo peditem in confragoso loco occultasset. Dein cedente equitatu et per nota se recipiente, in praeparatas insidias perduxit exercitum Parthorum et cecidit.

#### 2.5.36. Ventidius Draws Out Parthians and Labienus

Ventidius Parthos et Labienum, alacres successibus victoriarum, dum suos ipse per simulationem metus continet, evocavit et in loca iniqua deductos adgressus per obreptionem adeo debellavit, ut destituto Labieno provincia excederent Parthi.

#### 2.5.37. Ventidius Ambushes Pharnastanes' Parthians

Idem adversus Pharnastanis Parthos, cum ipse exiguum numerum militum haberet, illis autem fiduciam ex multitudine videret increscere, ad latus castrorum XVIII cohortes in obscura valle posuit, equitatu post terga peditum conlocato. Tum paucos admodum milites in hostem misit; qui ubi simulata fuga hostem effuse sequentem ultra locum insidiarum perduxere, coorta a latere acie praecipitatos in fugam, in his Pharnastanem, interfecit.

#### 2.7.12. Marius Points to the Cimbrian Water

Marius adversus Cimbros et Teutonos, cum metatores eius per imprudentiam ita castris locum cepissent, ut sub potestate barbarorum esset aqua, flagitantibus eam suis, digito hostem ostendens "illinc", inquit, "petenda est"; quo instinctu assecutus est, ut protinus barbari tollerentur.

#### 2.8.12. Sulla Shames the Mithridatic Rout

L. Sulla, cedentibus iam legionibus exercitui Mithridatico ductu Archelai, stricto gladio in primam aciem procucurrit appellansque milites dixit, si quis quaesisset, ubi imperatorem reliquissent, responderent pugnantem in Boeotia; cuius rei pudore universi eum secuti sunt.

#### 2.8.14. Philip Hardens His Men Against the Scythians

Philippus veritus, ne impetum Scytharum sui non sustinerent, fidelissimos equitum a tergo posuit praecepitque, ne quem commilitonum ex acie fugere paterentur, perseverantius abeuntes trucidarent. Qua denuntiatione cum effecisset, ut etiam timidissimi mallent ab hostibus quam ab suis interfici, victoriam acquisivit.

#### 2.9.5. Corbulo and the Armenians at Tigranocerta

Domitius Corbulo, cum Tigranocertam obsideret et Armenii pertinaciter viderentur toleraturi obsidionem, in Vadandum ex megistanis, quos ceperat, animadvertit caputque eius ballista excussum intra munimenta hostium misit. Id forte decidit in medium concilium, quod cum maxime habebant barbari; ad cuius conspectum velut ostento consternati ad deditionem festinaverunt.

#### 2.13.7. Antony Delays His March Against the Parthians

Antonius, cum ex Parthis instantibus reciperet exercitum et, quotiens prima luce moveret, totiens urguentibus barbarorum sagittis infestaretur abeuntium agmen, in quintam horam continuit suos fidemque stativorum fecit. Qua persuasione digressis inde Parthis, iustum iter reliquo die sine interpellatione confecit.

### Liber III

#### 3.13.6. Lucullus Sends Word to Cyzicus

L. Lucullus, Cyzicenos obsessos a Mithridate ut certiores adventus sui faceret, cum praesidiis hostium teneretur introitus urbis, qui unus et angustus ponte modico insulam continenti iungit, militem e suis nandi et nauticae artis peritum iussit insidentem duobus inflatis utribus litteras insutas habentibus, quos ab inferiore parte duabus regulis inter se distantibus commiserat, ire septem milium passuum traiectum. Quod ita perite gregalis fecit, ut cruribus velut gubernaculis dimissis cursum dirigeret et procul visentis, qui in statione erant, marinae specie beluae deciperet.

#### 3.17.5. Fimbria Against Mithridates' Son

Flavius Fimbria in Asia apud Rhyndacum adversum filium Mithridatis, brachiis ab latere ductis, deinde fossa in fronte percussa, quietum in vallo militem tenuit, donec hostilis equitatus intraret angustias munimentorum; tunc eruptione facta sex milia eorum cecidit.

### Liber IV

#### 4.1.21. Corbulo Disciplines Troops in Armenia

Domitius Corbulo in Armenia duas alas et tres cohortes, quae ad castellum Initia hostibus cesserant, extra vallum iussit tendere, donec adsiduo labore et prosperis excursionibus redimerent ignominiam.

#### 4.1.28. Corbulo and Aemilius Rufus in Armenia

Domitius Corbulo in Armenia Aemilio Rufo praefecto equitum, quia hostibus cesserat et parum instructam armis alam habebat, vestimenta per lictorem scidit eidemque ut erat foedato habitu perstare in principiis, donec mitterentur, imperavit.

#### 4.2.3. Corbulo Withstands the Parthians

Domitius Corbulo duabus legionibus et paucissimis auxiliis disciplina correcta Parthos sustinuit.

#### 4.5.21. Mithridates Shows Captives to Cyzicus

Cyzicum cum oppugnaret Mithridates, captivos eius urbis produxit ostenditque obsessis, arbitratus futurum, ut miseratione suorum compelleret ad deditionem oppidanos; at illi cohortati ad patiendam fortiter mortem captivos servare Romanis fidem perseveraverunt.

#### 4.7.2. Corbulo's Spade Saying

Domitius Corbulo dolabra [id est operibus] hostem vincendum esse dicebat.

Source Colophon

The Latin source body was extracted from the local Frontinus source dossier and copied for this translation pass at Tulku/Tools/scythian/sources/expansion_bench_2026-05-11/frontinus_stratagems_scythian_eastern_latin_source_manual76.txt.

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