Asclepiodotus

Asclepiodotus was a Greek philosopher and military theorist active in the 1st century BCE, traditionally regarded as a pupil of the Stoic polymath Posidonius. He is known for a short surviving treatise, the Tactica, a concise and systematic handbook on Hellenistic military organization. It describes the composition of the phalanx, the cavalry, light troops, chariots, and elephants, along with formations, drill, and battlefield maneuvers. Likely a theoretical compilation drawn from earlier sources rather than firsthand campaigning, the work is the most complete extant example of the Greek tactical-manual tradition and remains a key witness to how the Macedonian-style phalanx was understood.