The Roman army had the biggest military strategies in history

In order to meet the unique demands of the state during that year, early Rome had a tendency to increase its armies every year. Even while maintaining a standing army may be more effective, such a reactive approach does not show the strong connections between long-term political objectives and the military structure that grand strategy demands.

Famous political scientist Edward Luttwak suggests that the Roman army had the biggest military strategies in history in his book "The Grand Strategy of the Roman Empire". He broke this plan down into three stages. Augustus to Nero was the first period (27 BCE – 68 CE). During this era, Rome's allies formed a buffer along the empire's border, enabling Rome to station its armed troops in key locations. From the Flavians through the Severan emperors was the second period (69 – 235). The Roman Empire was now a fortress with a well-defined boundary. To guarantee peace and prosperity within the empire, the aggressors were dealt with beyond its borders. The final stage lasts from 284 to 305 CE. In this phase, the Romans established preset routes for the attackers to reach their territory and employed point defenses to keep them at bay.