**Polyaenus** or **Polyenus** (/ˌpɒliˈiːnəs/ *POL\-ee-EE\-nəs*; see [[American and British English spelling differences|ae (æ) vs. e]]; [[Ancient Greek language|Ancient Greek]]: Πoλύαινoς, [[Romanization of Ancient Greek|romanized]]: *Polyainos*, "much-praised") was a 2nd-century Roman Macedonian author and rhetorician,[^1] known best for his *Stratagems in War* ([[Ancient Greek language|Ancient Greek]]: Στρατηγήματα, [[Romanization of Ancient Greek|romanized]]: *Strategemata*), which has been preserved. The *[[Suda]]*[^2] calls him a [[Rhetoric|rhetorician]], and Polyaenus himself writes that he was accustomed to plead causes before the [[Roman emperor]].[^3] Polyaenus dedicated *Stratagems in War* to the two emperors [[Marcus Aurelius]] (r. 161–180) and [[Lucius Verus]] (r. 161–169), while they were engaged in the [[Roman–Parthian War of 161–166]], about 163, at which time he was too old to accompany them in their campaigns.[^4]

## Stratagems

This work is divided into eight books: the first six contain accounts of the [[Stratagem (deception)|stratagems]] of the most celebrated [[Ancient Greece|Greek]] generals and rulers, the seventh book contains stratagems of non Greeks and Romans, and the eighth book those of the Romans and of illustrious women. Parts, however, of the sixth and seventh books are lost, so that of the 900 stratagems which Polyaenus described, 833 have survived.[^5]

The book has survived in a single copy made in the 13th century, although there exist five abridged versions. The full copy once belonged to [[Michel Apostolios]].[^6] It contains a vast number of anecdotes respecting many of the most celebrated men in antiquity, and has uniquely preserved many historical facts.[^7]

Polyaenus was first printed in a [[Latin]] translation, executed by [[Justus Vulteius]], at [[Basel]], 1549. The [[Editio princeps|first edition]] of the Greek text was published by [[Isaac Casaubon]], [[Lyon]], 1589; the next by [[Pancratius Maasvicius]], [[Leyden]], 1690; the third by [[Samuel Mursinna]], [[Berlin]], 1756; the fourth by [[Adamantios Korais]], Paris, 1809.[^8] The work has been translated into English by R. Shepherd, [[London]], 1793; into German by Seybold, [[Frankfurt]], 1793–94, and by Blume, [[Stuttgart]], 1834.

## Other works

Polyaenus also wrote several other works, all of which have perished. The *Suda* has preserved the titles of two, *On Thebes* (Περὶ Θηβῶν) and *Tactics*, in three books (Τακτικά). [[Stobaeus]] makes a quotation from a work of Polyaenus, Ὑπὲρ τoῦ κoινoῦ τῶν Mακεδόνων[^9] (*For the [[Koinon of Macedonians|koinon of Macedonians]]*), and from another entitled Ὑπὲρ τoῦ Συνεδρίoυ[^10] (*For the [[Synedrion]]*). Polyaenus likewise mentions his intention of writing a work on the memorable actions of M. Aurelius and L. Verus.[^11]

## Further reading

-   Bayle, Pierre. "Polyænus." *Dictionnaire historique et critique.* Amsterdam, 1740.
-   [[Kai Brodersen|Brodersen, Kai]], ed. (2010). *Polyainos. Neue Studien. Polyaenus. New Studies*. Berlin: Verlag Antike. [[ISBN (identifier)|ISBN]] 978-3-938032-39-8.
-   [[Kai Brodersen|Brodersen, Kai]] (2017). *Polyainos:* Strategika (in Greek and German). Berlin & Boston: De Gruyter. [[ISBN (identifier)|ISBN]] 978-3-11-053664-5.
-   [[Hugh Chisholm|Chisholm, Hugh]], ed. (1911). ["Polyaenus"](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Polyaenus) . *[[Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition|Encyclopædia Britannica]]*. Vol. 22 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 17.
-   Dain, A. ["Les Cinq adaptations Byzantines de les *Stratagèmes* de Polyen"](https://www.persee.fr/doc/rea_0035-2004_1931_num_33_4_2621). *Revue des études anciennes*: 321–346.
-   ["Polyen: Ruses de guerre"](http://remacle.org/bloodwolf/erudits/polyen/index.htm). *Site de Philippe Remacle* (in French). Retrieved 9 October 2018. — Gui-Alexis Lobineau (traducteur), [[Paris]], (1840)
-   [[Oskar Seyffert (classical scholar)|Seyffert, Oskar]] (1894). "Polyænus". *Dictionary of Classical Antiquities*.
-    [[William Smith (lexicographer)|Smith, William]], ed. (1870). ["Polyaenus (4) the Macedonian"](https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0104%3Aentry%3Dpolyaenus-bio-9). *[[Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology]]*. Vol. 3.

## Notes

[^1]: Polyaenus, [info](https://www.attalus.org/info/polyaenus.html)
[^2]: Kai Brodersen (ed.), Polyainos, Neue Studien. Polyaenus, New Studies (Berlin 2010)
[^3]: [praef. lib. viii](http://www.attalus.org/translate/polyaenus8A.html#Preface)
[^4]: Polyaenus, [praef. lib. i](http://www.attalus.org/translate/polyaenus1A.html#Preface)
[^5]: Smith, William (1876). ["A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology: Oarses-Zygia"](https://books.google.com/books?id=R6c_AAAAYAAJ&dq=%22833+have+come+down+to+us%22&pg=PA442).
[^6]: Polyaenus (1994). [*Στρατηγήματα*](https://books.google.com/books?id=CVtJAAAAYAAJ&q=%22Michael+Apostolis+to+the+East+to+save+or+copy+Greek+manu-+scripts+.+Bessarion+,+Apostolis+,+and+his+son+Arsenios+.%22). [[ISBN (identifier)|ISBN]] 978-0-89005-503-8.
[^7]: Polyaenus (1793). ["Polyænus's Stratagems of War"](https://books.google.com/books?id=YXHRAAAAMAAJ&pg=PR15).
[^8]: [Polyaenus’ Stratagems](https://elinepa.org/polyaenus-stratagems/), ELINEPA, 2019
[^9]: Stobaeus, xlviii. 43
[^10]: Stobaeus, xlviii. 53
[^11]: Polyaenus, [praef. lib. vi](http://www.attalus.org/translate/polyaenus6.html#Preface)