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Why did The Art of War use the Roman army as a model?

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Portrait of Niccolo Machiavelli by Santi di Tito shows Machiavelli in black and red robes, holding a document, against a plain background. — Niccolò Machiavelli Niccolò Machiavelli, oil painting by Santi di Tito; in the Palazzo Vecchio, Florence.

In his work The Art of War (1521), Niccolò Machiavelli presents the Roman army as the model of military excellence because he believed that the ancients should be imitated in "strong and harsh things" rather than the "delicate and soft" practices of his contemporaries.1

Machiavelli’s advocacy for the Roman model was rooted in his broader critique of modern military practices, specifically his strong opposition to the use of mercenaries, which he viewed as a source of weakness in Renaissance Italy. By looking to the history of Rome, Machiavelli sought to revive a more robust and effective approach to warfare, contrasting the strength of the ancients with the perceived weakness of the moderns, whom he believed had been rendered effeminate by the influence of Christianity. Ultimately, his focus on the Roman army served his goal of establishing "new modes and orders" to strengthen the state and overcome the vicissitudes of fortune.123