Overview

Sextus Julius Frontinus (c. A.D. 35-c. 103) was one of the most capable administrators in the Roman Empire's long history. During his distinguished career, he served at least six emperors in a variety of prestigious offices, including general, consul, governor, proconsul of Asia, and supervisor of aqueducts. He may have been the longest-serving Roman governor of Britain, a position he held for five years. Frontinus's treatise, Stratagems, is a unique work in the history of military theory. It was likely composed towards the end of the first century A.D. Intended as a practical manual for military leaders, and drawing from the rich history of Greece and Rome, Stratagems offers a wealth of tactical ruses, ploys, and maneuvers that have been used to gain victory. His focus is entirely practical: what must a leader do to win? Because Frontinus grasps the psychological and moral factors of conflict, his work retains a timeless importance that modern readers will find applicable to nearly every field of endeavor. This new, annotated translation by Quintus Curtius returns to the original Latin text to present Frontinus in a contemporary idiom to a modern audience. Containing a detailed introduction, a sketch of Frontinus's life, a discussion of ancient military writing and the realities of warfare in the classical world, an analysis of the text, hundreds of explanatory footnotes, a bibliography, and an extensive index, this translation aims to assist a new generation of readers in rediscovering an essential classic of strategic thought.

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Reviews

""Quintus Curtius deserves tremendous credit for rediscovering this fascinating text and recasting it in modern, readable English. He's added hundreds of explanatory footnotes and a masterful introduction that returns Frontinus to his proper place among the world's great thinkers on the art of war. Although the anecdote-upon-anecdote style makes the book easier to dip into than to read straight through, Stratagems is not only for scholars; it's for strategists, for leaders, and for anyone who wants to understand power, conflict, decision, risk, and victory."" --Dr. Michael Fontaine, ""Classical Wisdom Substack"" (Oct. 6. 2025)

Author Information

Sextus Julius Frontinus (c. A.D. 35-c. 103) was one of the most capable administrators in the Roman Empire's long history. During his distinguished career, he served at least six emperors in a variety of prestigious offices, including general, consul, governor, proconsul of Asia, and supervisor of aqueducts. He may have been the longest-serving Roman governor of Britain, a position he held for five years. Quintus Curtius is the pen name of writer, attorney, and translator George J. Thomas. Upon graduating from MIT in 1990, he served as an active duty officer in the U.S. Marine Corps for a number of years. After leaving active service, he attended law school and began practicing law in 1998. He lives in Overland Park, Kansas.

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