Onasander the Tactician (Ὀνάσανδρος ὁ Τακτικός)

Life Onasander was a Greek author of the 1st century CE, known only from his military treatise. Manuscripts identify him as a philosopher, but no biographical details survive. The dedication of his work to the Roman consul Quintus Veranius Nepos (consul 49 CE) provides the primary evidence for his date, placing him in the mid-1st century CE [3].

Works His sole extant work is the Στρατηγικός (Stratēgikos, "The General"), a Greek treatise on the ideal military commander.

Significance The Stratēgikos is a significant philosophical treatment of generalship, emphasizing the moral and intellectual virtues—such as piety, justice, and strategic wisdom—required of a commander, reflecting Platonic and Stoic influences [1]. Written for a Roman patron, it illustrates the enduring prestige of Greek theoretical knowledge in the Roman Empire. The work was preserved, translated into Latin in the 4th century and later into Italian, and influenced Byzantine and early modern military thought [1].

Sources 1. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Classics (Oxford University Press): https://oxfordre.com/classics/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-4536 2. Encyclopædia Britannica (Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.): https://www.britannica.com/biography/Onasander 3. Perseus Digital Library (Tufts University): http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0104%3Aentry%3Donasander-bio-1