The strategy, but not the phrase, applies in many ancient cases: the example of Aulus Gabinius exists, parting the Jewi sh nation into five conventions, reported by Flavius Josephus in Book I, 169–170 of The Jewish War ( De bello Judaico).

[ It was utilised by the Roman ruler Julius Caesar and the French emperor Napoleon (together with the maxim divide ut regnes). The maxim divide et impera has been attributed to Philip II of Macedon. Machiavelli advises that this act should be achieved either by making him suspicious of his men in whom he trusted, or by giving him cause that he has to separate his forces, and, because of this, become weaker. Niccolò Machiavelli identifies a similar application to military strategy, advising in Book VI of The Art of War (1521) ( L’arte della guerra): a Captain should endeavor with every act to divide the forces of the enemy.

The use of this technique is meant to empower the sovereign to control subjects, populations, or factions of different interests, who collectively might be able to oppose its rule. Divide and rule (Latin: divide et impera), or divide and conquer, in politics and sociology is gaining and maintaining power by breaking up larger concentrations of power into pieces that individually have less power than the one implementing the strategy.

Divide et impera factions