Looking for Arrian's Ars Tactica

[Justin Swanton]

I know the Greek version is on Perseus, but does anyone know of an online version or even an ebook in English of Arrian's Tactics? I've hunted everywhere and no luck. I gotta have it! 

[Andreas Johansson]

Kobo has an ebook edition of what claims to be Arrian's complete works; but disturbingly the Tactics aren't mentioned in the list of contents (neither is the Battle Order Against the Alans):

https://www.kobo.com/ww/en/ebook/complete-works-of-arrian-delphi-classics-1

[Justin Swanton]

Kobo has an ebook edition of what claims to be Arrian's complete works; but disturbingly the Tactics aren't mentioned in the list of contents (neither is the Battle Order Against the Alans):

https://www.kobo.com/ww/en/ebook/complete-works-of-arrian-delphi-classics-1

Already got that and, no, no Tactics in it.

[Duncan Head]

Don't know of one online. LATO doesn't list one, but since they also don't know van Dorst's text and translation of the Order Against the Alans, LATO may not be fully comprehensive these days.

The only published translation I know of is DeVoto's, which is usable if a bit weird in places, and seems to be available only at quite a markup on the original price.

[Justin Swanton]

If I pleaded and begged and promised to be your best friend, would anyone be willing to scan and email me their copy? 

[Dangun]

I wouldn't want to miss an opportunity to rant about academic publishing...

But how does it make sense in an age of ebooks to allow a unique translation like Devoto's to go out of publication??

[Andreas Johansson]

But how does it make sense in an age of ebooks to allow a unique translation like Devoto's to go out of publication??

Expected sales < cost of creating ebook, presumably.

Or even, expected sales > cost of creating ebook but < expected return on using the manpower to do something else.

[Duncan Head]

If I pleaded and begged and promised to be your best friend, would anyone be willing to scan and email me their copy? 

Yes, all right. But I don't know when I will be able to get around to it - not before Battleday, and I have a couple of other things after that. So I hope you aren't in too much of a hurry.

[Justin Swanton]

If I pleaded and begged and promised to be your best friend, would anyone be willing to scan and email me their copy? 

Yes, all right. But I don't know when I will be able to get around to it - not before Battleday, and I have a couple of other things after that. So I hope you aren't in too much of a hurry.

I can hang on till then.

And ta! 

[kodiakblair]

I can't verify if this is intact but this page is supposed to have van Dorst's translation.

http://members.tripod.com/~S_van_Dorst/Ancient_Warfare/Rome/Sources/ektaxis.html#T1

[Duncan Head]

That's the Order of Battle against the Alans, Ektaxis kat' Alanon, not the Taktike - two different works.

[Dangun]

Expected sales < cost of creating ebook, presumably.

Logically, of course. I agree.

But if second hand copies are listed at US$500+, I would happily spend an hour turning it into an ebook for the price of a free copy!

ebooks w to middling quality are very easy to make.

[RichT]

Caliver Books have it listed on Amazon for £39.50, which doesn't seem a desperately high price to pay (how many toy soldiers does £40 buy?). Since this is their livelihood and they provide a good service (I got my copy from them IIRC) it would be nice to support them.

[Erpingham]

From Caliver website :

TAKTIKA OF FLAVIUS ARRIANUS  Arrian 132p Greek original and English Translation. Combination of the Ideal Hellenistic/Macedonian army plus examples of some current (c150 AD) Roman usage. Includes THE EXPEDITION AGAINST THE ALANS £25.00

[Justin Swanton]

£25 when converted to S.A. Rands is more than double the price of a comparable book sold locally. And the price doesn't include shipping. A bit ouchy.