Niccolò Machiavelli, a famous Italian philosopher and politician of the Renaissance, held the post of Secretary of State in Florence, responsible for diplomatic relations of the republic. His treatise “On the Art of War” is the only political work of Machiavelli published during his lifetime. This work is one of the best books on military affairs, on a par with “Notes on the Gallic War” by Gaius Julius Caesar and “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu. Thanks to the in-depth analysis of the military affairs of ancient times and the author’s contemporary reality, as well as important conclusions regarding the organization and use of armed forces, the leadership of the Russian army recognized this work as timeless and recommended it as a teaching aid.