De velitatione bellica

 combative, not because we single this out from the other stratagems and practices of tactics, but because for the best generals it has become the best

 going out. 1.5 And to send out faithful and most experienced men to watch over them, to see if they are guarding their posts well and vigilantly. 1.6

 to hold and block with shield-bearing hoplites and javelin-men, and behind these, those who throw stones by hand, and with them also archers and sling

 It is less suitable, and perhaps the effort happened to be in vain because the infantry army cannot be assembled so quickly in a few days and be well

 having endured. 7.t Concerning the gathering and movement of an army and concerning allowing merchants to enter and spy 7.1 Upon hearing of the prepar

 high, where the enemy camped, on one or even two sides near their encampment, they will keep watch in that place without difficulty for having dismou

 he will station squads behind the three pairs of scouts, the first squad to watch the third pair of scouts, and the second squad likewise to watch the

 to have [someone] behind the cavalry watching and observing the battle line of the emir and matters concerning it, and, as it marches, to report to hi

 let him set up an ambush, guarding the places situated near the enemy's passage. And the general himself must stand concealed in a suitable place with

 fame for even if the Roman army does not find the winning hand in the war against them, at any rate it will suffer no harm. 10.10 But if they remaine

 despising death for the seizure of the spoils because of the hope of gain and they will easily overcome these by the grace of Christ. But if he does

 will be made successful by cooperation. 11.4 But if it should happen that these are pursued by the enemy, it is necessary to go out to meet them with

 they will by no means dare to sally forth completely, and then only a few for the majority, suspecting war from the general, will not desert the emir

 the day's army and those stationed in the tetradia, as we have said above, to take from the general two of the most experienced and brave men from tho

 of those sent out, in the place where the battle line of the enemy is that has their commander, the general, taking a few men with him and going up to

 among them prisoners of ours or even to become deserters and to learn from them in what place he is encamped. 15.2 So that they do not, taking up thei

 having followed the raiding party negligently and not having searched the ambushes well, has unexpectedly fallen into the hiding place. And so that su

 they hasten unexpectedly to pursue and overcome them, you yourself must also display every precaution so as not to be found unexpectedly by them, but

 they may prepare then, by slackening the reins of their horses, they may with a charge distance themselves a little from their pursuers, so that they

 from long experience, we have written. It is fitting for you to act against the likely impending circumstance for not as the counsels of men, but as

 so that, if enemy multitudes should attack those in the ambush, the night, having fallen and having broken off the battle, you may keep the people und

 the strategos possessed authority over the theme, judging those bringing charges in military matters and administering the affairs arising in the them

 entering into their lands, sometimes they themselves, and sometimes sending some of their people, as was possible they would inflict heavy casualties

 of all other things, whatever are able to defend and help the besieged. For we will omit setting these forth in detail in the present writing on accou

 citizens of the country, and to urge them and to prepare them to save all their belongings in castles and fortified places, and to continuously wound

 by his grace. 23.2 When you have identified the road by which the enemy has set out, four stages, or camps, away, it is fitting for you, the leader of

 profitable according to what seems best to them, and when they perceive you have arrived, they will encamp for the night, having pitched their tents,

 they will break camp, having pitched their tents, and it is not easy for a night battle to be arranged in such a place, the general must again get ahe

the strategos possessed authority over the theme, judging those bringing charges in military matters and administering the affairs arising in the theme, having the judge as a collaborator and being assisted by him, and also collaborating with the protonotarios and the others entrusted with the public services. The tourmarches also, by law and imperial order, had jurisdiction over the trials of his own tourma according to the prevailing procedures and their privileges. 19.9 If, then, the army of the holy emperors should receive its former state, and the things that grieve them and lead them into poverty are removed far from them, they will receive great eagerness and joy and exultation, and they will be more noble and more daring, and they will appear unconquerable and invincible to the enemy; and when these things happen thus, our holy emperors will not only reclaim their own lands, but they will also subjugate many others belonging to the enemy. 20.t Concerning enemies who linger in our country, so that our army may advance against their country 20.1 When the enemy with a large and heavy force is roaming about our lands, wearing them down and destroying them and planning to intensify the sieges of forts, and taking care not to be ambushed by the Roman forces, but rather contriving to ambush them, if there is not a considerable Roman force for battle-array against them, able to overcome them, you, O strategos, must do this, which was also done in former times, as the book on strategy composed by the memorable and most wise emperor Leo sets forth; and those who have read it clearly understand the things that will be said. 20.2 For at that time the entire people of the Cilicians, having come out with a heavy force against the theme of the Anatolics and fiercely besieging the fort of Mistheia, the reigning emperor ordered the commander of the army at that time to campaign with the themes and tagmata against the land of the Cilicians, and that two of the strategoi, of the Anatolic and the Opsikion, should remain behind for the defense, as was possible, of both the fort and the rest of the land, to stand against the enemy. 20.3 The leader of the forces, however—he was then Nikephoros, surnamed Phokas—making his advance against the land of Adana through the so-called road of Maurianos, drove off the greatest possible booty. The people of Adana came out to meet him and, having drawn up for battle about two miles from their city, as soon as they clashed with each other, the men of Ismael turned their backs and in disorderly flight and scattered rushed straight for the city. But the leader of the Roman forces, finding as many of the Ishmaelites as were unable to get inside the gates, cut some down with the sword, and led others into slavery; and having encamped near the city, he cut down all the fruit-bearing vines and trees and marred the splendid and well-ordered surroundings of the city. 20.4 On the next day, his army, having made a raid as far as the sea, taking the greatest possible number of captives and very many cattle and having marched for the whole day, at the Kydnos river, which is also called Hierax locally, outside the bridge on which the road to Adana runs, he made camp. On the following day, having departed from there, he proceeded to reach his own territory. 20.5 So then, the enemy besieging Mistheia, having heard of the Roman attack against their own land, lifted the siege and with great haste returned for the defense of their own land; but failing, they missed out on both; for the leader of the Roman forces, with much spoils and plunder and captives, reached Roman territory through the so-called road of Karydion. 20.6 In addition to this, also the strategoi of the Anatolics and Cappadocia in former times, when the men of Tarsus were making an expedition against Roman territory, by another road

θέματος ἐξουσίαν ὁ στρατηγὸς ἐκέκτητο, κρίνων τοὺς ἐγκαλοῦντας ἐπὶ τοῖς στρατιωτικοῖς πράγμασι καὶ διοικῶν τὰ ἐν τῷ θέματι ἀνακύπτοντα, ἔχων συνεργὸν τὸν κριτὴν καὶ παρ' αὐτοῦ συνεργούμενος, συνεργῶν δὲ καὶ τῷ πρωτονοταρίῳ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις τοῖς τὰς τοῦ δημοσίου δουλείας ἐγκεχειρισμένοις. Εἶχε δὲ καὶ ὁ τουρμάρχης τῆς ἰδίας αὐτοῦ τούρμας παρὰ τοῦ νόμου καὶ τῆς βασιλικῆς προστάξεως ἐπ' ἐξουσίας τὰς κρίσεις κατὰ τοὺς ἐπικρατήσαντας τύπους καὶ τὰ τούτων προνόμια. 19.9 Εἰ μὲν οὖν τὴν πάλαι κατάστασιν ὁ τῶν ἁγίων βασιλέων λάβῃ στρατός, καὶ τὰ λυποῦντα καὶ εἰς πενίαν αὐτοὺς ἄγοντα πόρρω γένωνται τούτων, μεγάλην λήψονται προθυμίαν καὶ χαρὰν καὶ ἀγαλλίασιν, καὶ γενναιότεροι καὶ εὐτολμότεροι ἔσονται, ἀκαταγώνιστοί τε καὶ ἀκαταμάχητοι τοῖς πολεμίοις ὀφθήσονται· καὶ τούτων οὕτως γινομένων οὐ μόνον τὰς ἰδίας οἱ ἅγιοι ἡμῶν βασιλεῖς ἐκδικήσουσι χώρας, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἑτέρας πλείστας τῶν πολεμίων καθυποτάξουσιν. 20.τ Περὶ τῶν ἐγχρονιζόντων πολεμίων κατὰ τῆς χώρας ἡμῶν, ἵνα ἡμέτερος στρατὸς κατὰ τῆς χώρας αὐτῶν ἐπέλθῃ 20.1 Τῶν πολεμίων μετὰ μεγάλης καὶ βαρείας δυνάμεως τὰς χώρας ἡμῶν περιπολούντων, ἐκτριβόντων τε καὶ ἀφανιζόντων καὶ πολιορκίας κάστρων διαβαθύνειν διαμελετώντων, φυλαττομένων δὲ τοῦ μὴ παρὰ τῶν ῥωμαϊκῶν στρατευμάτων ἐνεδρευθῆναι, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον αὐτοὺς ἐνεδρεῦσαι μηχανωμένων, εἰ μὴ ἀξιόλογος ῥωμαϊκὴ δύναμις εἰς ἀντιπαράταξιν τούτων ἐστίν, δυναμένη τούτους καταγωνίσασθαι, τοῦτο δεῖ σε, ὦ στρατηγέ, διαπράξασθαι, ὅπερ καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἄνω χρόνοις γέγονε, καθὼς ἡ συντεθεῖσα στρατηγικὴ βίβλος παρὰ τοῦ ἀοιδίμου καὶ σοφωτάτου βασιλέως Λέοντος διαλαμβάνει· ᾗ καὶ οἱ ἐντυχόντες σαφῶς τὰ περὶ τῶν λεχθησομένων ἐπίστανται. 20.2 Τὸ γὰρ κατ' ἐκεῖνο καιροῦ ὁ τῶν Κιλίκων ἅπας λαὸς μετὰ βαρείας δυνάμεως κατὰ τοῦ θέματος τῶν Ἀνατολικῶν ἐξελθὼν καὶ τὸ κάστρον Μισθείας σφοδρῶς πολιορκῶν, τῷ τηνικαῦτα ἀρχηγῷ τοῦ στρατοῦ ὁ βασιλεύων προστέταχε μετὰ τῶν θεμάτων καὶ ταγμάτων κατὰ τῆς τῶν Κιλίκων χώρας ἐπιστρατεῦσαι, δύο δὲ τῶν στρατηγῶν τοῦ τε Ἀνατολικοῦ καὶ τοῦ Ὀψικίου ὑπολείπεσθαι τοῦ πρὸς ἐκδίκησιν, ὡς οἷόν τε, τοῦ τε κάστρου καὶ τῆς λοιπῆς χώρας τοῖς πολεμίοις ἀντικαθίστασθαι. 20.3 Ὁ μέντοι τῶν στρατευμάτων δημαγωγόςἦν δὲ τότε Νικηφόρος, ᾧ ἐπίκλησις Φωκᾶςδιὰ τῆς ὁδοῦ τῆς τοῦ Μαυριανοῦ λεγομένης κατὰ τῆς χώρας Ἀδάνης τὴν ἐπέλευσιν ποιησάμενος λείαν ὅτι πλείστην ἠλάσατο. Τούτῳ πρὸς συνάντησιν λαὸς ὁ τῆς Ἀδάνης ἐξῆλθε καί, ὡς ἀπὸ μιλίων δύο τῆς πόλεως αὐτῶν ἀντιταξάμενοι, ἅμα τῷ συμπεσεῖν ἀλλήλοις νῶτα μεταβαλόντες οἱ τοῦ Ἰσμαὴλ ἀκόσμῳ φυγῇ καὶ σποράδην εὐθὺ τῆς πόλεως ὥρμησαν. Ὁ δέ γε τῶν ῥωμαϊκῶν στρατευμάτων ἡγούμενος ὅσους τῶν Ἰσμαηλιτῶν ἔνδον πυλῶν γενέσθαι μὴ δυνηθέντας εὗρε, τοὺς μὲν μαχαίρᾳ συνέκοψε, τοὺς δὲ πρὸς δουλείαν ἠγάγετο· τοῦ δὲ ἄστεος ἐγγύθι στρατοπεδευσάμενος, ἀμπελώνων καὶ δένδρων τὰ ἔγκαρπα ἅπαντα κατατεμῶν τό τε πέριξ τῆς πόλεως λαμπρόν τε καὶ εὔκοσμον ἀπημαύρωσε. 20.4 Τῇ δὲ ὑστεραίᾳ ἄχρι θαλάσσης ἐπιδραμὼν ὁ λαὸς αὐτοῦ, αἰχμαλωσίαν ὅτι πλείστην καὶ κτήνη πάμπολλα ἀναλαβόμενος καὶ δι' ὅλης τῆς ἡμέρας ὁδοιπορήσας, ἐν τῷ Κύδνῳ ποταμῷ, ὃς καὶ Ἱέραξ ἐγχωρίως κέκληται, ἔξωθεν τῆς γεφύρας ἐν ᾗ ἡ ὁδὸς πρὸς Ἄδανα φέρει, ἠπλήκευσε. Τῇ δὲ ἐπιούσῃ ἀπάρας ἐκεῖθεν τὴν ἰδίαν καταλήψεσθαι ἐπορεύετο. 20.5 Τὴν τῶν Ῥωμαίων τοίνυν οἱ τὴν Μίσθειαν περικαθήμενοι πολέμιοι κατὰ τῆς ἑαυτῶν χώρας ἐπίθεσιν ἀκουτισθέντες, τὴν πολιορκίαν λύσαντες τάχει πολλῷ πρὸς ἐκδίκησιν τῆς ἰδίας χώρας ὑπέστρεψαν· ἀλλ' ἀπρακτήσαντες τῶν ἀμφοτέρων διήμαρτον· ὁ γὰρ τῶν ῥωμαϊκῶν στρατευμάτων ἡγούμενος μετὰ πολλῶν σκύλων τε καὶ λαφύρων καὶ ἀνδραπόδων διὰ τῆς ὁδοῦ τοῦ Καρυδίου λεγομένης τὰ Ῥωμαίων ἤθη κατέλαβε. 20.6 Πρὸς τούτῳ δὲ καὶ οἱ στρατηγήσαντες τῶν Ἀνατολικῶν καὶ Καππαδοκίας ἐν τοῖς ἄνω χρόνοις, τῶν Ταρσιτῶν κατὰ τῆς ῥωμαϊκῆς χώρας τὴν ἐξέλευσιν ποιουμένων, δι' ἄλλης ὁδοῦ