The phrase "divide and conquer" comes from the Latin "divide et impera" and first appeared in English around 1600. It is commonly attributed to Julius Caesar, who famously used this strategy during his conquest of Gaul by exploiting divisions among the Gallic tribes to prevent them from uniting against him. However, the tactic itself dates back even earlier and was used by Phillip II of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great, and likely evolved as a common military and political tactic over time. Niccolò Machiavelli also alluded to this strategy in his works in the 16th century. The phrase means to gain and maintain power by causing divisions among opponents, weakening their ability to unite.