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 account of their number; for those who have written on tactics and strategy have, before us, accurately and reasonably set forth such things and other siege engines and how those inside must fight against those outside. But we, having been ordered to speak about raiding and seizing mountain passes, are hastening to set forth, as far as possible, the things that contribute and are suitable to this. 21.2 So then, with the enemy having surrounded the fort and proceeding to a siege, if indeed—as is the custom for those wishing to distress the besieged—they encamp all around the fort, so that none of our men are able to enter or exit, since most of our forts are established in strong and inaccessible places, you will be able, o general, to attack them easily at night in one area with an infantry force, while they are thus encamped without a palisade and security; at the same time, with a signal, you will arrange for those inside to come out at that very hour and for them also to join battle, if possible. And having the help of the terrain you will defeat them, this being a work of God's providence. 21.3 But if, because of the difficulty and harshness of the terrain, they do not dare to encamp thus scattered all around, but their entire army encamps in two parts or in one, it is necessary first to burn all food for both men and animals and to destroy it completely, and to leave nothing for the needs of animals or men near the fort or far off in the villages. And if wood is also lacking, with no mountain being in the area, burn the very roofs of the houses as well. For if the enemy also come to be in need of wood and are short of provisions, it is necessary for their army to go out farther for the collection of necessities. And with you managing things expertly and strategically, you will be able to wound and rout them with ambushes; and as a result of this, being forced by the lack of food, they will break the siege. 21.4 But if you see them still holding out and persisting in the siege, and those inside being hard-pressed, it is necessary to proceed also to open night battles, having gathered an infantry force together with cavalry. Having drawn up this force against them suitably, according to the lay of the land, you will prepare for the night battle to take place, as I will indicate below concerning night battle, and in this way you will defeat them, and you will force them to abandon the siege of the fort. 21.5 But if some cause should prevent the night battle and those besieged inside are in need of a supporting force, but do not have a lack of provisions, you will be able to bring in a reinforcement of other men, just as also of food—if they should be in need—in the following way. Having gathered the entire army under you and having divided them in two, let one half of them each take up four modii of grain on the horses they ride, providing for them also other lightly armed horsemen carrying nothing except their weapons and to be solely for their protection. But you, with the rest of the fighting force in another area, at the hour when those carrying the grain are about to be near the fort, around midnight suddenly appear with shouting and trumpets, as if now about to attack them. And with them preparing for your attack and making their rush toward you, those carrying the grain, having found an opportunity, will both carry it into the fort and will return unharmed. And through such a device you may provide for them both an addition of men and of food, if indeed they are in need of both, and the besieged may obtain deliverance. 22.t Concerning the separation of the force of half the enemy or even of the third part 22.1 But if the enemy should not be prepared for the siege of forts, but with a large and powerful force are wandering about our lands, it is necessary for the general of the Roman forces to carefully the farmers, that is the

ἄλλων πάντων, ὅσα πολιορκουμένους ἐκδικεῖν καὶ βοηθεῖν δύνανται. Ταῦτα γὰρ διὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῇ παρούσῃ γραφῇ ἐκθεῖναι κατὰ μέρος ἐάσομεν· περὶ γὰρ τῶν τοιούτων καὶ ἑτέρων πολιορκητικῶν μηχανημάτων καὶ τὸ πῶς χρῆ τοὺς ἔνδον τοῖς ἔξωθεν ἀντιμάχεσθαι ἀκριβῶς πρὸ ἡμῶν καὶ λελογισμένως οἱ τὰ τακτικὰ καὶ στρατηγικὰ ἀναγραψάμενοι ἐξέθεντο. Ἡμεῖς δὲ περὶ παραδρομῆς καὶ κατασχέσεως κλεισουρῶν προσταχθέντες εἰπεῖν, τὰ ταύτῃ συντελοῦντα καὶ ἐφαρμόζοντα κατὰ τὸ ἑνὸν ἐκθεῖναι κατεπειγόμεθα. 21.2 Τῶν πολεμίων τοίνυν τὸ κάστρον περικαθισάντων καὶ πρὸς πολιορκίαν χωρούντων, εἰ μένὡς ἔθος ἐστὶ τοῖς βουλομένοις στενοχωρεῖν τοὺς πολιορκουμένους ἀπληκεύσουσι δηλονότι τοῦ κάστρου κύκλοθεν, πρὸς τὸ μὴ δύνασθαί τινας τῶν ἡμετέρων μήτε εἰσέρχεσθαι μήτε ἐξέρχεσθαι, ἐπεὶ ἐν ὀχυροῖς τόποις καὶ δυσβάτοις σχεδὸν τὰ πλείω ἡμῶν ἵδρυνται κάστρα, εὐχερῶς τούτοις οὕτως ἀπληκεύουσι χάρακος καὶ ἀσφαλείας ἄνευ ἰσχύσεις, ὦ στρατηγέ, καθ' ἓν μέρος νυκτὸς μετὰ πεζικοῦ στρατεύματος ἐπιθέσθαι· μετὰ συνθήματος ὁμοῦ καὶ τοὺς ἔνδον ἐξελθεῖν παρασκευάσεις ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ καὶ συνάψαι καὶ αὐτούς, εἰ δυνατόν, πόλεμον. Καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ τόπου ἔχων βοήθειαν τούτους καταγωνίσῃ, ἔργον τοῦτο προνοίας Θεοῦ. 21.3 Εἰ δὲ διὰ τὴν τοῦ χώρου δυσχέρειαν καὶ σκληρότητα οὐ θαρρήσουσιν οὕτως κύκλοθεν διεσπαρμένως ἀπληκεῦσαι, ἀλλ' ἐκ δύο μερῶν ἢ ἐξ ἑνὸς ἅπας ὁ λαὸς αὐτῶν στρατοπεδεύσει, δέον πρότερον πᾶσαν τροφὴν ἀνθρώπων τε καὶ ἀλόγων πυρπολῆσαι καὶ τελείως ἐξαφανίσαι καὶ μηδὲν εἰς χρείαν ἀλόγων ἢ ἀνθρώπων πλησίον τοῦ κάστρου ἢ πόρρω καταλιπεῖν ἐν τοῖς χωρίοις. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ξύλον ἐπιλείπει, ἐπὶ τοῦ τόπου ὄρους μὴ ὄντος, καὶ αὐτὰ τὰ στέγη τῶν οἰκημάτων πυρπολῆσαι. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ξύλου ἐν χρείᾳ γένωνται οἱ πολέμιοι καὶ τροφῶν ἐνδεεῖς εἰσιν, ἀνάγκη τὸν λαὸν αὐτῶν ἐξέρχεσθαι μακρότερον πρὸς συλλογὴν τῶν χρειῶν. Σοῦ δὲ ἐμπείρως καὶ στρατηγικῶς διατιθεμένου δυνήσῃ τούτους μετὰ ἐγκρυμμάτων τραυματίζειν καὶ κατατροποῦσθαι· καὶ ὡς ἐκ τούτου τῇ τῶν τροφῶν ἐνδείᾳ ἀναγκαζόμενοι τὴν πολιορκίαν λύσουσιν. 21.4 Εἰ δὲ ὁρᾷς αὐτοὺς ἔτι καρτεροῦντας καὶ τῇ πολιορκίᾳ ἐπιμένοντας καὶ τοὺς ἔνδον στενοχωρουμένους, δέον καὶ πρὸς νυκτοπολέμους δημοσίους χωρῆσαι, πεζικὸν συναγηοχὼς στράτευμα ἅμα ἱππεῦσιν. Ὃ ἁρμοζόντως κατὰ τὴν τοῦ τόπου θέσιν τούτοις συνταξάμενος, τὸν ἐν νυκτὶ πόλεμον παρασκευάσεις γενέσθαι, καθὼς παρακατιὼν περὶ νυκτοπολέμου δηλώσω, καὶ τούτῳ τῷ τρόπῳ καταγωνίσῃ αὐτούς, καὶ ἀναγκάσεις τὴν τοῦ κάστρου πολιορκίαν λιπεῖν. 21.5 Εἰ δέ τις αἰτία τὸν τῆς νυκτὸς πόλεμον διακωλύσει καὶ οἱ ἔνδον πολιορκούμενοι ἐνδεεῖς λαοῦ τοῦ βοηθοῦντός εἰσι, τροφῶν δὲ σπάνιν οὐκ ἔχουσι, δυνήσῃ καὶ ἑτέρων ἀνδρῶν προσθήκην ἐπαγαγεῖν, ὥσπερ καὶ τροφῆςεἴγε ἐνδεεῖς εἶεντρόπῳ τοιῷδε. Συναγαγὼν ἅπαν τὸ ὑπὸ σὲ στράτευμα καὶ διχῆ αὐτοὺς διελών, οἱ μὲν ἡμίσεις τούτων ἀναλαβέτωσαν καθεῖς ἀνὰ σίτου μοδίους τέσσαρας εἰς οὓς ἐποχοῦνται ἵππους, παρέχων αὐτοῖς καὶ εὐζώνους ἑτέρους ἱππεῖς μηδὲν ἐπιφερομένους πλὴν τὰ ὅπλα αὐτῶν καὶ πρὸς μόνην αὐτῶν φυλακὴν εἶναι. Σὺ δὲ μετὰ τοῦ λοιποῦ μαχίμου στρατεύματος ἐν ἑτέρῳ μέρει, κατὰ τὴν ὥραν ἣν οἱ τὸν σῖτον ἐπιφερόμενοι πλησίον τοῦ κάστρου μέλλουσι γενέσθαι, περὶ μέσην νύκτα ἀθρόως μετὰ κραυγῆς καὶ σαλπίγγων φάνηθι, ὡς ἤδη πολεμίσων αὐτούς. Τῶν δὲ πρὸς τὸν σὸν πόλεμον παρασκευαζομένων καὶ τὴν ὁρμὴν πρὸς σὲ ποιουμένων, ἄδειαν εὑρόντες οἱ τὸν σῖτον ἐπιφερόμενοι ἀποκομίσουσί τε αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ κάστρῳ καὶ ἀσινεῖς παλινοστήσουσι. Καὶ διὰ τῆς τοιαύτης μηχανῆς καὶ ἀνδρῶν ἐπιβολὴν καὶ τροφῆς παράσχῃς αὐτοῖς, εἴγε ἀμφοτέρων ἐν χρείᾳ εἰσί, καὶ σωτηρίας οἱ πολιορκούμενοι τύχωσιν. 22.τ Περὶ διαχωρισμοῦ λαοῦ τῶν ἡμισέων πολεμίων ἢ καὶ τοῦ τρίτου μέρουσ 22.1 Εἰ δὲ μὴ πρὸς πολιορκίαν κάστρων εὐτρεπίζοιντο οἱ πολέμιοι, ἀλλὰ μετὰ πολλῆς καὶ σφοδρᾶς δυνάμεως τὰς ἡμετέρας χώρας περινοστοῦσι, χρὴ τὸν στρατηγοῦντα τῶν ῥωμαϊκῶν δυνάμεων ἐπιμελῶς τοὺς γεωργούς, ἤτοι τοὺς