The history of the practice of strategy from Antiquity to Napoleon

Heuser, B. (2015) The history of the practice of strategy from Antiquity to Napoleon. In: Baylis, J., Wirtz, J. J. and Gray, C. S. (eds.) Strategy in the Contemporary World. 5th edition. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 17-32. ISBN 9780198708919

Abstract/Summary

This chapter outlines the history of the practice of strategy, predating the introduction of the term. It homes in on episodes of European history since Antiquity for which historians claim to have found evidence of the practice of strategy, defined by Kimberly Kagan as ‘the setting of a state’s objectives and of priorities among those objectives’ in order to allocate resources and choose the best means. While focusing only on Europe, this chapter covers case studies over nearly 2500 ranging from the wars of Ancient Greece, of the Romans to Medieval warfare (here with a focus on English history), the warfare of Philip II of Spain, Louis XIV of France, Frederick II of Prussia, the French Revolutionaries and Napoleon.