In General: Scipio Africanus

Name:

Affiliation:

• Roman Republic

Conflict:

• Second Punic War

Nemesis:

• Hannibal

Notable Victories:

• Battle of Zama
• Battle of Ilipa
• Battle of Baecula

Notable Defeats:

• None

Famous Quote:

“Ingrata patria, ne ossa quidem habebis” – ungrateful fatherland, you will not even have my bones.

Although the final resting place of Scipio Africanus remains unknown, it is said that this quote was ordered inscribed on his tomb by Africanus himself. This was in reference to his self-imposed exile from Rome brought about by several attempts by his political enemies to discredit the Roman hero.

Famous tactics:

At the Battle of Zama in 202 BC, Africanus was able to overcome a numerical disadvantage in order to rout the famous Carthaginian antagonist Hannibal. At the onset of the battle, Hannibal had some 50,000 infantry, 4,500 cavalry, and 80 of his famous war elephants.  Scipio had just 34,000 infantry and nothing to match the brute force of Hannibal’s elephants. What he did have was 8,500 cavalry, which vastly outnumbered the Carthaginian horsemen. In previous battles, such as the slaughter at Cannae, it was Hannibal who enjoyed the cavalry advantage. This time, it would prove to be his undoing.

Scipio broke from Roman tradition when he organized his front ranks of infantry into lanes perpendicular to the enemy instead of the traditional manipular formation (lines parallel to the enemy with inexperienced troops at the front). When the Carthaginian war elephants charged, they passed harmlessly through the Roman lanes and where harassed by a maelstrom of Roman javelins. In some cases, the Romans greeted the unpredictable giants with trumpets that were said to drive the elephants mad and caused them to turn around and trample their own infantry. Alexander the Great used a similar tactic at Gaugamela. There, the Persian Scythed chariots passed unopposed through a reorganized Phalanx and were dispatched by attacks from both sides.

With Hannibal’s elephants neutralized, the opposing cavalry and infantry collided. The infantry was in a virtual stalemate when the Roman cavalry drove the Carthaginian cavalry from the field and quickly enveloped and routed the Carthaginian infantry.

Synopsis:

Publius Cornelius Scipio became known as Scipio Africanus following his famous victory over Hannibal at the Battle of Zama. Remarkably, Africanus has become somewhat of a forgotten name in history while his vanquished opponent remains a household name. Although not as famous or celebrated as his Carthaginian rival, Scipio Africanus is still regarded as one of the finest commanders in military history. It is said that one cannot win a battle in Africa without a Scipio. Julius Caesar even appointed a distant relative of Africanus to his senior staff due to this superstition.

As a young man he was among the few that survived the Roman disasters at Cannae, Ticinius, and Trebia. Early in the Second Punic War, nearly one fifth of all Roman men of fighting age where killed by Carthaginian troops.

However, Scipio’s successful campaign in Hispania put the Carthaginians on the defensive following his victory over Hannibal’s bother at Baecula and also at Ilipia where he overcame a two to one disadvantage.

Scipio also demonstrated a respect for his enemy when he declined to ravage the city of Carthage following his victory at Zama. He even went so far as to allow Hannibal to become a civic leader of the defeated city. This combined with his affinity for Greek literature and customs did not sit well with many in the Roman Senate.

In the years following his victory at Zama, Scipio become the subject of a series of inquisitions accusing him of bribery and corruption. He spent his final years in a self imposed exile, disgusted by the ingratitude of his countrymen.

~Man Overboard

Image used is this Post

Scipio Africanus the Elder photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons published under the CC license.