None of the great military leaders of the ancient ages did write a great military treaty for their successors. Alexander, Hannibal, Scipio or Augustus, none of them wrote their own military experiences. Caesar did in fact write about his campaign in Gaul.

The names to mention of the greeks are Aeneas the Tacitan, Asclepioditus and Onasander. Aeneas (4th century BC) was the author of a number of treatises on the art of war of which only one has survived. This one deal in six chapters with how to defend a besieged city. The work is very detailed and usefull.Asclepidotus (1st century BC) work is named “Outline of Tacitcs”. He was not a military man and the treatise was mainly written as an exercise in rhetoric and therefore out of date. It’s main subject is the “greek phalanx” which was no longer in use. Apart from the phalanx, he also discusses light infantery, charitos and elephants. Tactics does not even discuss in which way the various kinds of troops ought to interact with eachother.Also Onasanders (ca 1st century AD) work “O Strategos” (The General) might have been an exercise in rhetoric, he dedicated it to the Romans. In his work he discusses all attributes a good general must be in possession of.

Two roman writers are important to mention, Sextus Julius Frontinus and flavius Renatus Vegetius.

Frontinus (last quarter of 1st century AD) was a roman official. He fought the tribes in Wales and was supervisor of Romes aqueducts in his civilian life. His main work on the art of war is lost, what remains is “Stratagemata” (Tricks of the Trade) and was meant to serve as a companion to the theoretical treatise. It consists of four books of which the last one is witten by another person. The Stratagemata has nothing to say about raising troops, formations or discipline. All 50 chapters carry titles like “Distracting the attention of the enemy” or “on terroricing the besieged”. Frontinus continued to be read until the late 1700.

Vegetius (400AD) “Epitoma Rei Militaris” (A Summary of Military Matters) stand in a class of it’s own. He was no soldier but an administrator in the imperial service. Vegetius does not deal with the army of his own time but with an idealized version of previous ones. In four parts he discusses recruitment, organization, tactics, fortification and naval warfare. But he doesnt focus on any particular period. Both Stratagemata and Epitoma were written in latin and therefore well read during the Middle Ages (Creveld. M, The Art of War, 2002, pg 56). So were also the works written by the Byzantine Empire. Best known is the “Strategikon” attributed to the Emperor Maurice (582-602). The book consists of 12 parts which deal with things like training troops, camps, formations, strategia, baggage trains, drills etc. Strategicon is a masterpiece of work.