Aelianus, De militaribus ordinibus instituendis, Venice, 1552, contemporary vellum

AELIANUS

De militaribus ordinibus instituendis more graecorum (De instruendis aciebus opus) [translated by Francesco Robortello]. Venice: (Andrea and Giacomo Spinelli, July) 1552

4to (227 x 158mm.), title within woodcut border, woodcut initials, woodcut printer's device above colophon, with blank leaf K4, contemporary limp vellum, occasional light staining, lacking 2 pairs of alum-tawed ties

Written in about 110AD, Aelian's manual on tactical warfare describes the drills of the Macedonian and Roman armies, which were much imitated in the wars of the sixteenth and seventeenth century. Robortello edited the original Greek text (also printed by the Spinellis in 1552) as well as producing this Latin translation.

LITERATURE:

Edit16 320; IA 100.765 & 100.766 (listing the two parts separately)