Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus the Elder. Scipio the African elder Roman general Scipio

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SCIPIO, an outstanding Roman family from the Cornelian family. Two of its representatives, the brothers Publius Cornelius Scipio and Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio, during the 2nd Punic War from 217 to 212 BC. fought in Spain against Hasdrubal, son of Hamilcar. After the initial victories that prevented the Carthaginians from leaving Spain for Italy to help Hannibal, in 212 BC. both commanders died in battle. Two other Scipios brought even greater glory to the family: Scipio Africanus, known as “Scipio the Elder,” and Scipio Aemilianus Africanus, or “Scipio the Younger.”

Scipio Africanus the Elder

(Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus) (c. 234–183 BC), in full Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus, one of the greatest generals of Ancient Rome. The son of the aforementioned Publius Cornelius Scipio, a participant in the 2nd Punic War, he fought bravely at Ticinus (218 BC) and Cannae (216 BC). In 210 BC Scipio, actually a private citizen (which set an important precedent), was elected commander of the new Roman army sent to Spain. He took the Carthaginians by surprise and captured New Carthage, where the headquarters of the Carthaginian army was located, and in 209 BC. near Becula he won a brilliant victory over Hasdrubal, the son of Hamilcar. In 206 BC Scipio captured almost all of Spain, inflicting a decisive defeat on the Carthaginians at Ilipa. Later that year, Scipio completed the expedition by capturing Gades, the last city in Spain remaining in Carthaginian hands.

Upon his return to Rome, Scipio was elected consul for 205 BC. and received the province of Sicily. In 204 BC, when the Carthaginian army led by Hannibal was locked in southwestern Italy, Scipio managed to overcome opposition in the Senate and transfer the war to Carthage territory. He sailed to Africa and landed near Utica, where he was joined by the Numidian prince Masinissa. Early the next year they twice defeated the combined forces of Hasdrubal, the son of Gisgon and his Numidian ally Syphacus. As a result, the Carthaginians recalled Hannibal and his brother Mago from Italy. Attempts to make peace came to nothing, and the 2nd Punic War ended after Scipio's decisive victory over the Carthaginian army at the great Battle of Zama. Scipio returned to Rome in triumph, received the nickname "African", but instead of seizing supreme power, which was quite within his power, he resigned.

In 190 BC Scipio, as a legate, contributed to the success of the military expedition of his brother Lucius Cornelius Scipio against the king of Syria, Antiochus III. When the commander returned to Rome, the enemies (the party of Cato the Elder and Flamininus) began to accuse the brothers of receiving a bribe from Antiochus, it came to a conviction against Lucius, and only the intervention of the tribune Sempronius Gracchus saved Lucius from prison. Scipio retired to his rural estate near the city of Litern, where he died approx. 183 BC Scipio was not only an outstanding commander, but also a real scientist, well acquainted with Greek literature and art. His daughter, Cornelia, was the mother of two famous Roman tribunes, Tiberius and Gaius the Gracchi.

Scipio Africanus the Younger

(Publius Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus Africanus) (185–129 BC), in full Publius Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus Africanus, Roman commander who destroyed Carthage, victoriously ending the 3rd Punic War, head of the circle of Roman and Greek writers and scientists, friend historian Polybius and philosopher Panaetius, hero of Cicero's dialogue About the state. Scipio Africanus the Younger was the youngest son from the first marriage of Lucius Aemilius Paulus, the conqueror of Macedonia. When his parents separated, he was adopted by Publius Scipio, the son of Scipio Africanus the Elder, and thus Aemilianus entered the Scipio family. However, he maintained a close relationship with his own father, who gave him an excellent education, including Greek. Aemilian accompanied his father on the Macedonian campaign in 168 BC. and on a trip to Greece after the defeat of King Perseus. Then his father gave him books from the library of Perseus.

Aemilian first attracted attention in 151 BC, when he volunteered for Spain as a military tribune. When the 3rd Punic War began (149 BC), Scipio headed to Africa as a military tribune. Dissatisfied with the course of the war, the people elected him consul for 147 BC, which was achieved as a result of a special resolution of the Senate: Scipio was far from reaching the 43 years required to become consul. Returning to Africa, Scipio began the siege of Carthage and, after a year of desperate resistance, took the city by storm, plundered it, and sold the inhabitants into slavery. By order of the Senate, Scipio established the province of Africa here with its center in Utica. He returned to Rome, celebrated his triumph and received the honorary title "African".

Several failures that befell the Romans in Spain forced them to re-elect Scipio as consul in 134 BC. (this also required circumventing the law, since a second consulate was prohibited in 151 BC), and the next year, after a stubborn siege, he took the city of Numantia in Spain. Returning to Rome in 132 BC, Scipio publicly approved the murder of his son-in-law Tiberius, who paid with his life for attempting reform, and thereby incurred the hatred of the popular people. He became the recognized leader of the aristocrats, supporting their resistance to the agrarian legislation of the Gracchi. In 129 BC, on the morning of the day when Scipio was supposed to address the national assembly on the issue of land distribution, he was found dead in his own bedroom.

Scipio(Scipio) Publius Cornelius African Senior - one of the most remarkable Roman commanders. Born around 235 BC. During the battle of the river. Ticino saved his father. After the defeat of Cannes, S., who was the head of the legion, forced Caecilius Metellus and his like-minded people, who in despair were planning to leave Italy, to abandon this plan. At the age of 22 he was elected to the aedile. When his father and uncle died in Spain in the fight against the Carthaginians and no one wanted to take the position of commander-in-chief of the Roman forces there, twenty-four-year-old S. acted as a candidate and was unanimously chosen for this responsible and dangerous post. With a number of brilliant successes, S. justified the trust of his fellow citizens. Despite the fact that he had to deal with such experienced opponents as Gazdrubal, son of Gisgon, Gazdrubal, son of Hamilcar (Hannibal's brother), and Mago, S. acted very successfully: he took New Carthage, defeated Gazdrubal, son of Hamilcar, near Becula , after which the latter went to Italy to help his brother (208); the next year S. defeated another Gazdrubal there and gradually subjugated most of Spain to Rome. In addition to military talents, he also showed significant diplomatic abilities, skillfully winning over the Spanish natives in favor of Rome with his generous treatment of them. S.'s successes raised the prestige of Rome so much that the African kings Masinissa and Syphax established relations with Rome. S. personally came to Africa to meet Syphax and entered into an alliance with him. Returning to Spain, he finally cleared it of the Carthaginians: Mago went to Italy, Hades surrendered to the Romans. S. brought huge sums of silver from Spain to the Roman treasury and became the most popular person in Rome. He planned a landing in Africa, although Hannibal was still in Italy. This bold plan seemed dangerous to cautious people, led by Kv. Fabius Maxim and Kv. Fulvius, but he met with sympathy in society. Many volunteers and donations of all kinds came to S. He first managed to organize a raid into Africa (under the command of Laelius) and force the Carthaginian garrison to leave Locr; at the same time, he had to endure a lot of trouble in the case of Pleminius (see Rome). Finally, the Senate allowed to organize a landing in Africa (204). Military operations in Africa (see Punic Wars) ended with the defeat of Hannibal, summoned from Italy, at Zama and the conclusion of peace. Upon returning to Rome, S. received a brilliant triumph and the nickname “African”, but he rejected other honorary awards offered to him. He was indisputably the first man in Rome and the recognized head of the aristocratic party. He soon became princeps senatus, then was a censor, and five years later - consul for the second time (an exceptional distinction in that era). He accompanied his brother Lucius, who was consul in 190, on a campaign against Antiochus of Syria and actually led the war. Upon returning to Rome, the brothers had to endure a lot of trouble from the party led by M. Porcius Cato. A process was started against Lucius S. on charges of concealing money (apparently, which actually took place) and of granting Antiochus, for personal gain, too lenient terms of peace. The behavior of Publius S. in these processes gave rise to fair criticism. The Scipios' opponents gained the upper hand; Lucius was accused and sentenced to a fine. He soon died, and a short time later Publius S. also died (about 183), who had recently lived on his estate in Campania. Before his death, S. forbade the transfer of his ashes to Rome. He stood at the head of a new cultural movement that resulted in the transfer of Greek education to Rome. The enmity of people like Cato towards the Scipios is largely explained by this. S.'s daughter, Cornelia, was married to Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus, the father of the reformer brothers. Wed. Fr. Dor. Gerlach, "P. Cornelius Scipio Africanus der Aeltere und seine Zeit" (Basel, 1868); his, “De vita P. Cornelii S. Africani Superioris” (Basel, 1865); Th. Mommsen, “Die Scipionenprocesse” (“Hermes”, 1st century, 1866).

The future ancient politician and military leader Scipio Africanus was born in Rome in 235 BC. e. He belonged to the Cornelias, a noble and influential family of Etruscan origin. Many of his ancestors became consuls, including his father Publius. Despite the fact that the Scipios (a branch of the Cornelian family) were influential in the political arena, they were not distinguished by wealth. Another important feature of this family was Hellenization (exposure to Greek culture), when it was not yet widespread.

Beginning of a military career

Scipio Africanus, whose childhood is practically unknown, began to appear in the Roman chronicles after he died in 218 BC. e. chose a military career. She determined his entire future. The choice was not random. Just this year, Rome declared war on its southern neighbor Carthage. This Phoenician state was the main competitor of the republic in the Mediterranean. Its capital was in northern Africa. At the same time, Carthage had many colonies in Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica and Spain (Iberia). It was to this country that Scipio's father, consul Publius, was sent. His 17-year-old son went with him. In Spain, the Romans had to face Hannibal.

At the end of 218, Scipio Africanus took part in a major battle for the first time. This was the Battle of Ticinus. The Romans lost it because they underestimated their enemy. But Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus himself only became famous under Ticinus. Having learned that his father was attacked by enemy cavalry, the young warrior rushed alone to the aid of the consul. The horsemen fled. After this episode, Cornelius Scipio Africanus was awarded an honorary award for his courage in the form. It is significant that the brave young man defiantly refused it, declaring that feats are not done for the sake of recognition.

Further information about the young man is contradictory. It has not been fully established whether he participated in subsequent battles with the Carthaginians of that period. These inaccuracies are due to the fact that the ancient era left us many sources that directly contradict each other. At that time, chroniclers often resorted to falsifications to denigrate their enemies, while others, on the contrary, overstated the merits of their patrons. One way or another, there is a version that in 216 BC. e. Scipio Africanus was a military tribune in the army that fought at the Battle of Cannae. If this is indeed the case, then he was extremely lucky to survive and avoid capture, because the Romans then suffered a crushing defeat from Hannibal’s army.

Scipio was distinguished by his strong character and bright spirit. There is a known episode when, having learned about the desire of several commanders to desert due to the defeats of the republic, he burst into the tent of the conspirators and, threatening them with a sword, forced them to swear allegiance to Rome.

Roman Avenger

Scipio's father and uncle died during that time. Of his family, only his elder brother Lucius remained (his mother died during childbirth). In 211 BC. e. Publius nominated himself for the position of curule aedile in order to support a relative in his own political campaign. In the end, both were elected. Scipio Africanus the Elder began his own civilian career, which would later also be marked by numerous successes.

Shortly before his election as aedile, the military man took part in the successful siege of Capua. After the capture of this city, the Roman authorities began to consider a plan for a campaign in Spain. In this country, the Carthaginians had many cities and ports, which were sources of food and other important resources for the victorious army of Hannibal. It had still not been possible to defeat this strategist, which meant that the Romans needed a new strategy.

It was decided to send an expedition to Spain, which was supposed to deprive Hannibal of his rear. Due to endless defeats at the national assembly, none of the commanders dared to stand as a candidate. Nobody wanted to stand after another defeat. At this critical moment, Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus offered to lead the army. His father and uncle died the day before. For the military man, the campaign against Carthage became personal. He spoke of revenge for the defeats of Rome, after which he was elected proconsul. For a 24-year-old young man, this was an unprecedented success. Now he had to justify the aspirations and hopes of his fellow citizens.

Spanish campaign

In 210 BC. e. Scipio Africanus the Elder, together with an 11,000-strong army, went to Spain by sea. There he joined forces with the army of the local propraetor. Now he had 24 thousand people in his hands. Compared to the Carthaginian contingent in the Pyrenees, this was a rather modest army. There were three Phoenician armies in Spain. The military leaders were Hannibal's brothers Mago and Hasdrubal, as well as the latter's mother-in-law, Hasdrubal Giscon. If at least two of these troops united, then Scipio would face inevitable defeat.

However, the commander was able to take advantage of all his minor advantages. His strategy was completely different from that followed by his predecessors, who suffered defeat from the Carthaginians. Firstly, it used cities north of the Iber River, once founded by Greek colonists, as its bases. Scipio Africanus especially insisted on this. The strategist's short biography is full of episodes when he made extraordinary decisions. The Iberian campaign was just such a case. Scipio understood that there was no point in landing in the south, where the enemy’s positions were especially strong.

Secondly, the Roman commander turned for help to the local population, dissatisfied with the rule of the Carthaginian colonialists. These were the Celtiberians and northern Iberians. The army of the republic acted in concert with the partisans, who knew the area and the roads there very well.

Thirdly, Scipio decided not to give a general battle right away, but to gradually wear down the enemy. To do this, he resorted to quick raids. There were four of them in total. When the next Carthaginian army was defeated, the Romans returned to their bases, there they regained their strength and went into battle again. The commander tried not to move too far from his own positions, so as not to be cut off from the rear. If you add up all these principles of the strategist, you can understand why Scipio Africanus the Elder became famous. He knew how to make the most optimal decision and always used his own advantages and the enemy’s weaknesses with maximum efficiency.

Conquest of Iberia

Scipio's first major success in Spain was the capture of New Carthage, a major port that was a stronghold of regional rule for African colonists. In ancient sources, the story of the conquest of the city was supplemented by a plot that became known as “the generosity of Scipio Africanus.”

One day, 300 Iberian hostages of noble family were brought to the commander. Also, the Roman soldiers gave Scipio a gift of a young captive, distinguished by her rare beauty. From her, the military commander learned that the girl was the bride of one of the captured hostages. Then the leader of the Romans ordered her to be given to the groom. The prisoner thanked Scipio by bringing his own large detachment of cavalry into his army and since then he has faithfully served the republic. This story became widely known thanks to Renaissance and Modern artists. Many European masters (Nicola Poussin, Niccolo del Abbate, etc.) depicted this ancient plot in their pictures.

Scipio achieved a decisive victory in Spain at the Battle of Ilipa in 206 BC. e. The commander-in-chief Hasdrubal Giscon fled to his homeland. After the defeat in Carthage, they decided to abandon the Iberian possessions. Roman rule was finally established in Spain.

Homecoming

At the end of 206 BC. e. Scipio Africanus the Elder returned triumphantly to Rome. Publius Cornelius spoke before the Senate and reported on his victories - he managed to defeat four enemy armies and drive the Carthaginians out of Spain. During the commander's absence from the capital, many envious enemies appeared in power who did not want the strategist's political rise. This first opposition was led by Quintus Fulvius Flaccus. The Senate refused Scipio the formal ritual of triumph. However, this did not prevent the commander from becoming a real folk hero. Ordinary Romans enthusiastically greeted the winner.

However, the war with Carthage was not over yet. Although Punic power in Spain was a thing of the past, Rome's enemies still controlled North Africa and some islands of the Mediterranean Sea. Scipio went to Sicily. If the Republic managed to recapture this island, it would become an excellent springboard for a further attack on North Africa. Having landed in Sicily, the commander with a small army was able to enlist the support of the local population (mainly Greek colonists), promising him to return all the property lost during the ongoing war.

African campaign

In the summer of 204 BC. e. Scipio, along with an army of about 35 thousand people, left the Sicilian coast and went to Africa. There it was to be decided whether the Roman Republic would become a key force in the ancient Mediterranean. It was precisely those successes of the commander in Africa that made him known as Scipio Africanus. Photos of his busts and sculptures from different parts of the Roman state show that he truly became a legendary figure for his compatriots.

The first attempt to take Utica (a large city northeast of Carthage) ended in nothing. Scipio and his army wintered right on the African coast, without owning any significant settlement. At this time, the Carthaginians sent a letter to their best commander, Hannibal, in which they demanded that he return from Europe to his homeland and defend his country. In order to somehow prolong time, the Punes began to negotiate peace with Scipio, which, however, ended in nothing.

When Hannibal arrived in Africa, he also arranged a meeting with the Roman general. The following proposal followed - the Carthaginians leave Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily and Spain in exchange for a peace treaty. However, Publius Cornelius refused to accept such conditions. He objected that the republic already actually controls all these lands. Scipio, for his part, proposed a tougher version of the agreement. Hannibal refused. It became clear that bloodshed was inevitable. The fate of Hannibal and Scipio Africanus was to be decided in a head-to-head confrontation.

Battle of Zama

The decisive Battle of Zama took place on October 19, 202 BC. e. The Numidians, the indigenous inhabitants of the African continent, also sided with the Roman Republic. Their help was invaluable to the Latins. The fact was that the Romans had been racking their brains for a long time on how to neutralize Hannibal’s most formidable weapon—elephants. These huge animals struck terror into Europeans who had never dealt with such animals. Archers and riders sat on elephants and shot their enemies. Such “cavalry” had already demonstrated its effectiveness during Hannibal’s attack on Italy. He led elephants through the high Alps, causing the Romans even greater confusion.

The Numidians knew the habits of elephants very well. They understood how to neutralize them. It was these animals that the Africans took up, eventually offering the Romans the best strategy (more on it below). As for the numerical ratio, the aspect ratio was approximately the same. Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus, whose short biography already consisted of many campaigns, brought a well-knit and coordinated army to Africa, which unquestioningly followed the orders of its long-term commander. The Roman army consisted of 33 thousand infantry and 8 thousand cavalry, while the Carthaginians had 34 thousand infantry and 3 thousand cavalry.

Victory over Hannibal

The army of Publius Cornelius met the attack of the elephants in an organized manner. The infantry made way for the animals. They rushed through the formed corridors at high speed without hitting anyone. Numerous archers were waiting for them in the rear, who fired at the animals with dense fire. The Roman cavalry played a decisive role. First, she defeated the Carthaginian cavalry, and then struck the infantry in the rear. The ranks of the Punians wavered and they ran. Hannibal tried to stop them. Scipio Africanus, however, achieved what he wanted. He turned out to be the winner. The Carthaginian army lost 20 thousand killed, and the Roman army - 5 thousand.

Hannibal became an outcast and fled far to the east. Carthage admitted defeat. The Roman Republic received all of his European and island possessions. The sovereignty of the African state was significantly undermined. In addition, Numibia gained independence, becoming a loyal ally of Rome. Scipio's victories ensured the dominant position of the republic throughout the Mediterranean. A few decades after his death, the Third Punic War broke out, after which Carthage was finally destroyed and turned into ruins.

War with the Seleucids

The next ten years passed peacefully for the commander. He took up his political career in earnest, for which he had previously lacked time due to regular campaigns and expeditions. To understand who Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus the Elder is, it is enough to list his civil positions and titles. He became consul, censor, priest of the Senate and legate. The figure of Scipio turned out to be the most significant in Roman politics of his time. But he also had enemies in the aristocratic opposition.

In 191 BC. e. the commander went to war again. This time he went east, where Rome was in conflict with the Seleucid Empire. The decisive battle took place in the winter of 190 - 189. BC e. (due to conflicting sources, the exact date is unknown). As a result of the Syrian war, King Antiochus paid the republic a huge indemnity in the amount of 15 thousand talents, and also gave it lands in modern western Turkey.

Trial and death

After returning home, Scipio faced a serious problem. His opponents in the Senate initiated a lawsuit against him. The commander (along with his brother Lucius) was accused of financial dishonesty, theft of money, etc. A state commission was appointed, which forced the Scipios to pay a large fine.

This was followed by a period of behind-the-scenes struggle with the opponents of Publius Cornelius in the Senate. His main antagonist was Marcus Porcius Cato, who wanted to get a censorship position and sought to destroy the faction of supporters of the famous military leader. As a result, Scipio lost all his positions. He went into voluntary exile to his estate in Campania. Publius Cornelius spent the last year of his life there. He died in 183 BC. e. at the age of 52 years. By coincidence, his main military opponent Hannibal, who also lived in exile in the east, also died at the same time. Scipio turned out to be one of the most outstanding people of his time. He managed to defeat Carthage and the Persians, and also made an outstanding career in politics.

Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus

War of Scipio's father and uncle in Spain

The famous Roman military leader Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus came from a family of famous generals. Scipio's early years coincided with the beginning of the war with Hannibal. The father of Publius Cornelius Scipio, who bore the same name as his son Publius, and his father's brother, Gnaeus Scipio, were sent by the Roman government to fight the Carthaginians in Spain. It was marked by dramatic changes in happiness. At first, the brothers Gnaeus and Publius Scipio, partly by force of arms, partly by the ability to win over the Celtic highlanders, took possession of the passes through the Pyrenees, the valleys of these mountains, the beautiful Ebro Valley, and made extensive conquests in the fertile plain of Guadalquivir. The Spanish tribes, who loved to fight, were at enmity with each other, fickle in their thoughts, served both the Romans and the Carthaginians, but were unreliable helpers for both; everything depended on the personal qualities of the commanders. The one who knew how to gain the love and respect of the native ancestors, to impress them either with his talents or victories, had many Spaniards in his army. But even more than love or enmity, fear, gifts, hope of prey guided the actions of the natives; they were of little use for large battles; they acted well only in guerrilla warfare in the defense of fortresses and mountains, and in unexpected attacks.

The Scipio brothers restored Saguntum, destroyed by Hannibal, and this fortress began to serve as the basis of their operations. Their successes on the Ebro and in the fertile southern plains were greatly helped by the difficulties that the two Scipios managed to cause for the Carthaginians in Africa: they aroused Syphax, the king of the Massasili, who ruled over the western part of Numidia and had the capital city of Sigu, to war with the Carthaginians. The Romans came to him, taught his Libyans their art of war, helped him with their advice, and he became a dangerous enemy for the Carthaginians. Syphax acted successfully for some time, outraged the neighboring tribes oppressed by the Carthaginians; The Carthaginian Senate saw itself in the need to summon Gazdrubal Barca, who was the commander-in-chief in Spain, to Africa. The Scipio brothers took advantage of the departure of this skilled commander, expanded their conquests, and attracted many natives to their side. Gazdrubal, in alliance with a supporter of the Carthaginians, Masinissa, the son of the Massilian king Gala, who had Cirta as his capital and ruled in eastern Numidia, defeated Syphax and forced him to reconcile with the Carthaginians; The Carthaginian government, with its usual cruelty, punished the indignant subjects. Gazdrubal, accompanied by Masinissa, returned to Spain, taking reinforcements from Africa. With his return, the war with the Scipio brothers in Spain took a different turn.

Death of the Scipio brothers

The Carthaginians now had more troops than the Romans. The Scipio brothers wanted to act against the enemy in several places at the same time, divided their troops and recruited natives; both turned out to be disastrous for them. Publius Scipio was defeated in battle with Mago and Hasdrubal, son of Giscon; the victory was decided by the Numidian cavalry of Masinissa; Publius Scipio himself, the father of Scipio Africanus, died. Gazdrubal Barca, acting against Gnaeus Scipio, bribed his Celtiberian mercenaries; they left, Gazdrubal began to strongly press Gnaeus Scipio; he retreated to a hill and was surrounded by the Carthaginians; the Numidian cavalry attacked him. There was no forest on the hill, the Romans had nothing to cover themselves with except the packs, from which they made something like a small rampart. They were completely defeated. Gnaeus Scipio disappeared, so there was no reliable information about where and how he died. Titus Livy says that the deceased was an example of Roman justice and that his death aroused universal regret. Gnaeus Scipio's warriors were killed or captured; only a small detachment left for the Ebro under the command of the brave centurion Lucius Marcius. After some time, the remnants of the army of Publius Scipio came to this detachment; they were commanded by the legate Titus Fonteus; The garrisons stationed in the fortresses also came there.

In thirty days the Roman troops, who had won so many victories, were destroyed; all of Spain as far as the Ebro was now again in the power of the Carthaginians; one might have thought that they would cross this river, occupy the passes through the Pyrenees, and enter into direct relations with Hannibal, but this danger was averted by the prudence of the surviving Scipio warriors, who were able to appreciate the talents of Marcius and chose him as their commander-in-chief. Moreover, the Carthaginian military leaders were at enmity with each other and lost time; when they finally attempted to cross the Ebro, they were repulsed with great damage by Marcius. Thus, the remnants of the former army of the Scipios held the Ebro line behind them until the arrival of Gaius Claudius Nero, who brought a new army and resumed the offensive against the enemy. Having crossed the Ebro, Nero so constrained the Carthaginians in the mountain forests of the area called the Black Rocks that they would have had to surrender if Gazdrubal, having started negotiations and dragging them out for a long time, had not taken advantage of the Romans’ oversight and withdrew his troops at night, breaking his promise to the Romans not to leave .

Publius Cornelius Scipio Jr.

Claudius Nero was a brave warrior, but, with his stern character, he did not know how to instill favor in the natives, and therefore was not able to restore Roman rule in Spain. The Senate decided to send there another military leader who would be able to fight the enemy and win over the native tribes and their princes. It was very important for the Romans to keep the main forces of the Carthaginians away from Italy so that Hannibal would not receive reinforcements. Given the importance and difficulty of the task facing the new military leader, the Senate left the choice to the people themselves. The centuries gathered, but no one came who wanted to ask for the position of commander-in-chief in Spain. This duty was so difficult that it frightened the most ambitious people: two skilled commanders - the Scipio brothers - died in Spain. It was clear that defeating the Carthaginians there would be a very difficult matter. In the absence of other candidates, Publius Cornelius Scipio, the son of Publius Scipio, who was killed in Spain, came forward and asked the people to send him there so that he could fulfill the duty of avenging the death of his father and uncle. This was the future great Scipio Africanus. The appearance of young Scipio made a good impression; his courage inspired confidence in the people; It was one of those moments when people, with the fidelity of instinctive attraction, make a successful choice. The assembly expressed its agreement with Scipio's request with an enthusiastic cry, and the Senate approved this choice, although it was a violation of all customs to send as proconsul a young man who was no more than 27 years old and who did not hold positions above military tribune and magistracy above aedileship. It is true that already at the Battle of Ticinus, where Scipio the Younger saved his father’s life, and after the Battle of Cannae, when he restrained the young aristocrats from their intention to flee overseas, he showed that he was gifted with noble courage and high patriotism.

A man of extraordinary ability and inclined to act autocratically, the young Publius Scipio loved to act contrary to custom. Just as now, at the beginning of his political activity, Scipio volunteered to accept a title that, according to ordinary rules, could not be given to him, and made a captivating impression on the people with confidence in his words, so throughout his life he acted in an original way, achieving success mainly thanks to originality , surprises of their actions. Conscious of his talents, proud of his civic virtues, his devotion to his homeland, Publius Scipio considered it unnecessary for himself to take into account the laws and forms established by custom, which, in his opinion, are obligatory only for people less talented and less pure in soul. Scipio had the habit, before starting any important business, of coming to the Capitoline Temple and praying there alone; from this arose among the people the belief that they received direct suggestions from Jupiter. And indeed, Scipio’s personality made such a strong impression that it was easy to believe in his direct relations with the deity; he himself was convinced that he was an instrument of the gods, their messenger. Self-confidence gave the actions of Publius Scipio a firmness that inspired others to trust him and facilitated his successes; consciousness of his great qualities, a noble way of thinking, Greek education and an innate sense of dignity kept him from envying other people's merits, made him lenient towards other people's mistakes, and gave his treatment of people an irresistible attractiveness. Scipio was a hero, a man of high education, a talented ruler, he was kind to all noble and ignorant, and at the same time he was a true Roman in character and way of thinking; It is clear that, gifted with such qualities, he acquired the devotion of warriors, the affection of the peoples whose countries he ruled, and the love of women. Now Publius Scipio was still a youth, he could not yet be the subject of envy, he aroused only hope and admiration.

War with Hannibal. Map

Capture of New Carthage by Scipio

Having received quite a lot of troops, a lot of military supplies and money, the new proconsul Scipio put his soldiers on 30 quinqueremes and sailed along the Etruscan and Gallic coast in Emporia. He was accompanied by Marcus Junius Silanus, who was supposed to take the place of Gaius Nero and help the young commander with the advice of his military experience, and Gaius Laelius, the soulmate of the new commander-in-chief, appointed head of the fleet. With his first undertaking, Publius Scipio showed great military talent. Having taken command of the Spanish troops in Tarraco, he gave a kind speech to the soldiers, in which he praised them for their courage and inflamed them for new exploits, and showed gratitude and trust to Marcius. Having learned that the Carthaginian military leaders were located in three places far from one another - near Saguntum, in the upper reaches of Betis and near Gades, Scipio decided to take advantage of the fragmentation and distance from each other of the enemy forces and, with an unexpected attack, take the fortified city of New Carthage, the main stronghold of Carthaginian rule over Spain. Scipio himself went with his army along the coast and besieged New Carthage from land, while Laelius blocked this fortress from the sea. Magon, who commanded the troops in the besieged city, defended himself bravely, with the assistance of citizens, and repelled the attack. But while all the attention of the besieged was occupied by this attack, part of the Roman army that was on the ships moved into boats and sailed to the southern side of New Carthage, where, as Scipio learned from the fishermen, the sea becomes very shallow at low tide. Taking advantage of the low tide, Scipio's Roman soldiers approached the wall, which was left without troops, through the swamp. Without encountering resistance, they captured it and occupied the lower city of New Carthage. Magon saw the impossibility of continuing resistance and, not wanting to expose the townspeople and his army to needless death, surrendered the citadel. Having captured New Carthage, Scipio found in it huge reserves of food, weapons, military vehicles, gold and silver items, 600 talents of money, captured many warships and transport ships, captured 10,000 Carthaginians, including 18 Carthaginian senators, very people noble.

Scipio's magnanimous policy in Spain and the significance of his victories there

The hostages of the loyalty of the Spanish tribes who were in this fortress also fell into the power of the Romans. In addition to the hostages, there were also hostages, women and girls of the Spanish princely families. Laelius took the captured Carthaginian senators to Rome, and Scipio sent the Spanish hostages and female hostages home with rich gifts, giving them an escort to guard them along the way. He instructed them to convince their relatives and fellow citizens to enter into an alliance with Rome. Ancient historians with romantic details tell that Scipio, although he was very much not indifferent to female beauty, returned to the groom, the Spanish prince, a captive Spanish girl of amazing beauty, and gave the rich ransom offered for her by her parents as a dowry. This story was intended to show that Scipio was not inferior in nobility of soul to Alexander the Great.

The generosity of Scipio. Painting by N. Poussin, mid-17th century

The rumor about Scipio's nobility and generosity spread throughout Spain and gained him many followers and allies. He returned freedom and property to the inhabitants of New Carthage, so that they would continue to live under Roman rule, going about their previous affairs. Scipio took other captives to work for the army and navy. Thus, 2000 artisans were assigned to work for the Roman army, and for their diligence they were promised freedom at the end of the war; Scipio made strong young men, free and slaves, rowers. Active work began at the shipyards and workshops, and the former vigorous activity soon resumed in the city and on the pier.

After Scipio captured the Carthaginian capital of Spain, whose harbor was excellent and in the vicinity of which there were rich mines, the fate of the entire peninsula was decided. The princes of the Spanish tribes broke away from the Carthaginians and began to conclude treaties of alliance with Rome. Gazdrubal Barca, who was preparing to go to Italy, received news of the capture of New Carthage only when Scipio with his army and fleet had already returned to Tarraco. Scipio's brave undertaking was completely successful; he far exceeded all the hopes of the Roman people. When Laelius arrived in Rome with the news of the capture of New Carthage and noble captives, the Senate and people showed extreme joy. The Senate retained Scipio as Spanish commander-in-chief indefinitely; everyone expected that the new commander would bring Rome complete triumph over Carthage. Scipio was a rising star of extraordinary brilliance.

Scipio completes the conquest of Spain

Encouraging the native princes and ancestors to break away from the Carthaginians and help Rome, Scipio skillfully and quickly defeated the Carthaginians both on the Ebro and in the fertile valleys of Betis. Having avenged the death of his father and uncle with his victories, he organized funeral games in their memory, at which Spanish warriors, according to their custom, voluntarily fought among themselves to the death. The Carthaginian commanders, quarreling among themselves, could not agree to act together, and separately they could not resist Scipio. The most gifted of them, Gazdrubal Barka, was defeated in the battle of Bekul (Bailen?) and suffered a great loss in killed and captured. After his defeat, other Carthaginian commanders could not hold out against the Romans in the open field: Gazdrubal, son of Giscon, went to Lusitania, Mago sailed to the Balearic Islands; only Masinissa with light cavalry raided the plains in the south and east of the peninsula. Hoping for his own good fortune, Scipio is said to have sailed to Africa with a small convoy on two quinqueremes: Syphax invited him to his place, and he hoped to persuade the Numidian king to switch from the Carthaginians to the side of the Romans. At the same time, Gazdrubal, the son of Giscon, was visiting Syphax with him, and at dinner he reclined on the same bed with him. Scipio's beautiful appearance and amiable manners made the most favorable impression on everyone. Scipio was already thinking of moving the war against the Carthaginians to Africa. With the intention of preparing this, he undertook a risky trip, which could have ended in his being captured; but he hoped that Syphax would not betray the rules of hospitality. In order to prepare allies for himself in Africa, Scipio tried to enter into relations with Masinissa, sending his nephew Massiva, captured by the Romans, without ransom. There is generally a romantic element in Scipio's actions; his story is like an epic.

Gazdrubal, having been defeated at Becula, decided to go with the remnants of his army to his brother, Hannibal, in Italy. Scipio failed to detain him. But the removal of Hasdrubal also had its good side: it gave the entire eastern coast of Spain to the power of the Romans. The following year, Hanno sailed to Spain from Africa with a new army in order, together with the other two commanders who remained there, to return the lost possessions to the Carthaginians, but in Andalusia he was defeated by Marcus Silanus and himself was taken prisoner. Carthage made a new effort; but his army, consisting mostly of Spaniards, stretching to 70,000 infantry, 4,000 cavalry, with 32 elephants, was completely defeated and scattered by Scipio in the second very stubborn battle of Becula; only a small remnant under the command of Hasdrubal, son of Giscon, managed to leave for Hades. Now the Romans had no rivals on the Iberian Peninsula, and Scipio had the leisure to conquer by force or persuade to an alliance with Rome all the cities and tribes that were still on the side of Carthage. The rule of the Romans in Spain was again shaken when the natives, taking advantage of the illness of Scipio and the mutiny of one of his troops, irritated by the delay in the payment of salaries, raised an uprising that spread throughout all parts of the country; they wanted to drive out their new rulers and restore their former independence; but this danger also passed. Scipio recovered, carefully and firmly pacified his rebellious detachment and suppressed the uprising of the natives in the bud. Soon after, Gades, which was the first possession of the Phoenicians and now remained the last possession of the Carthaginians in Spain, surrendered to him. The victorious Scipio prepared to go to Rome to give an account of his glorious exploits and relinquish the power given to him by the state to which he had now conquered a vast country. The Spanish princes invited Scipio to become their king; he refused it. Scipio wanted to remain only the commander of Rome, although he loved to behave like a king.

Scipio and Masinissa

Before leaving Spain, Publius Scipio arranged a meeting with the energetic Numidian king Masinissa, concluded a secret alliance with him and thereby secured support for himself in Africa, where he planned to transfer the war.

Masinissa was grateful to Scipio for the release of his nephew and had long felt deep respect for the magnanimous Roman commander; and now, according to the romantic stories about the life of Scipio, Masinissa was seriously insulted by Hasdrubal, and this insult finally restored him against Carthage. A noble and wealthy Carthaginian commander promised Masinissa, who had been educated in Carthage, the hand of his daughter Sophonisba, a beautiful, intelligent and very educated girl. With this betrothal he wanted to bind Masinissa more firmly to Carthage; but while the groom was fighting in Spain for Carthage, Syphax, who saw the beautiful Sophonisba in her father’s house, fell passionately in love with her and asked for her hand; Gazdrubal bought Syphax's faltering loyalty by giving him his daughter in marriage. Not only did Gazdrubal deeply insult Masinissa by taking his bride away from him, he inflicted a second mortal wound on him, taking the side of another contender after Gala’s death, whom he helped to take possession of the kingdom. Masinissa, an energetic man of gigantic strength and iron health, a brave warrior, a skilled commander, returned to Africa to drive the usurper out of his hereditary possession; but Syphax and Gazdrubal defeated him: he and his followers went to the mountains and took revenge on their enemies with devastating raids on neighboring lands.

Return of Scipio to Rome

Returning to Rome, Scipio received from the people, as a reward for his exploits, the rank of consul in the 549th year from the founding of Rome. Immediately upon taking office, he began to work on the implementation of his plan to transfer the war to Africa in order to defeat the enemy in his own land; but the Senate showed resistance to this intention. The Carthaginians made strong preparations for war, sending reinforcements to Mago and Hannibal; it seemed to the Senate that Scipio’s plan for an expedition to Africa was too risky; that before sending an army there, it is necessary to oust the enemies from Italy. The senators remembered the danger Rome had been placed in two years earlier by the brave enterprises of Scipio. Many looked suspiciously at the proud, ambitious man who put his will above custom and law; senators of the ancient way of thinking and the ancient way of life, such as Fabius Maximus, condemned Scipio for his addiction to Greek customs, and to new concepts borrowed from the Greeks; people who love caution in war condemned his passion for unusual enterprises. Adherents of ancient Roman discipline condemned Scipio for not supporting it in the army, for being too lenient about the unrest in it, so that the soldiers became violent and committed crimes. When Locri was betrayed by treason to the Romans, the legate Pleminius, sent there by Scipio with a detachment of troops, allowed himself and the soldiers such terrible atrocities that the Senate, whose protection the unfortunate citizens asked, found it necessary to severely punish the perpetrators.

Scipio's African Campaign

Scipio Africanus. Roman image contemporary with Scipio himself

But the senators, although they did not approve of Scipio’s plan, were afraid of irritating a man loved by the people; they did not want him, in defiance of the Senate, to turn to the people’s assembly with a request to send him to Africa. Therefore, the Senate agreed that Scipio should make preparations in Sicily for an expedition to Africa the following year, when he would be sent there as proconsul; he was allowed to call volunteers from all over Italy, and the remnants of the army defeated at Cannae were placed at his disposal - those warriors who fled from the battle, from whom honorable military morals had been taken away and who had hitherto been treated with contempt; the construction of ships and military vehicles was made easier for Scipio by the fact that the Senate promised forgiveness to the citizens of Arretium and other Etruscan cities who showed sympathy for Hannibal in the first time of the war if they made amends for their actions with voluntary donations to equip the expedition. From everything it was clear that the cautious Senate itself was not equipping this expedition, but only allowed it and was not inclined to sacrifice either people or money for this risky undertaking. But the name of Scipio gave him enormous strength. When he invited volunteers to sail to Sicily, many people gathered there from everywhere who wanted to participate in the expedition, and the work on equipping the fleet was carried out so diligently that within 40 days Scipio had the number of ships he needed - 40 military and 400 transport ships. An army of 30 thousand soldiers, of which 7 thousand were volunteers, came under the banner of Scipio. The veterans who survived the defeat at Cannes were eager to restore their military honor in Africa. As soon as the weather permitted, the army boarded ships at Lilybaeum and, in the presence of countless spectators, the fleet sailed to Africa [in the spring of 204].

Guarded by the deities of the sea and land, whose favor Scipio invoked by making sacrifices to them, the fleet arrived safely in Africa. The army landed near Utica. The fleet was commanded by Gaius Laelius, the quaestor of the army was Marcus Porcius Cato, who fought under the command of the old man Fabius at Tarentum, and was with Claudius Nero in the battle of Metaurus. Having learned that Scipio had reached the African coast, Masinissa came to him with 200 brave horsemen. His detachment was small, but with his talent and knowledge of the area Masinissa provided the Romans with important services. The enemy prepared for defense: the Carthaginians equipped a strong fleet, a large army, recruited mercenaries, took slaves into service, caught many elephants, and appointed the experienced Spanish commander Gazdrubal, the son of Giscon, as commander-in-chief. But, using the advice of Masinissa, the Romans won several battles, and Scipio approached Utica; having besieged it, he met stubborn resistance: the walls were strong, the citizens defended themselves courageously; after a 40-day siege, he was forced to retreat. Scipio hoped to place his warriors for the winter in Utica, but having failed, he camped in Africa for the winter on a rocky cape jutting into the sea east of Utica; Even during the time of Caesar, this place retained the name “Corneli’s camp.” Scipio surrounded himself with trenches there and was in a very cramped position. Syphax came to Gazdrubal with 50,000 infantry and 10,000 cavalry; such a large auxiliary army would have given an advantage to the Carthaginians if Syphax had been a conscientious ally. But he did not want to make the Romans his irreconcilable enemies and began to play the role of a mediator, in the hope of becoming the decider of events and reaping great benefits for himself. He was mistaken: Scipio saw through his trick and outwitted him. The Roman commander negotiated until he found an opportunity to carry out his skillfully drawn up plan. Even from the history of Agathocles’s campaign in Africa, it is clear that the Carthaginians and Numidians arranged their camps very carelessly: the soldiers made their dwellings from the material that came to hand, and arranged them without any order: these were huts made of brushwood, covered with reeds, tents, wicker made of straw, simple reed canopies. Scipio sent at night to set fire to the enemy camp. The African warriors fled in disarray from the flames that quickly engulfed all their homes, and the Roman cohorts killed them as they fled unarmed. Syphax and Gazdrubal with part of the cavalry managed to leave and replenished the loss with a new recruit; After some time, numerous Celtiberian detachments sailed to them from Spain; Philip of Macedon secretly sent them several troops. They gathered such forces that they offered battle to the enemy. Scipio accepted it. It took place five marches from Utica and was bloody; The Spanish troops fought bravely, but the Romans were victorious. The fleeing Syphax was overtaken by Masinissa and brought in chains to Scipio. He was taken to Rome and soon died there. His capital, Cirta, surrendered without resistance. Sophonisba, who was in this city, hoped to escape the vengeance of the Romans by marrying Masinissa, but she was mistaken. Syphax angrily portrayed her as the culprit for his defection from the alliance with Rome. According to him, he could not resist her seductive speeches, and Masinissa will not resist them either. Believing this, Scipio demanded Masinissa's extradition; she proudly chose to drink the cup of poison given to her by Masinissa. With this sacrifice, Masinissa bought himself the trust and patronage of Scipio. The Roman commander returned the kingdom to him and showed him various honors.

Peace negotiations and the return of Hannibal from Italy

End of the Second Punic War

Carthage could not withstand the siege for long. The state of affairs was desperate, and Hannibal advised his compatriots to make peace with the Romans, whatever the severity of their demands. 30 senators went to Scipio's camp. Scipio presented them with conditions even more severe than before. The Carthaginians had to abandon Spain and all the islands of the Mediterranean Sea, keep only 10 triremes, and give their other warships to the Romans. They were to provide Masinissa with the entire Numidian kingdom; not to recruit troops or wage war without the permission of the Romans. In addition, the Carthaginians had to pay the Romans 200 talents per year indemnity for 50 years.

Carthage submitted to these conditions, which, if not in form, then in fact deprived the state of independence, made it a tributary of Rome and gave it a powerful and hostile neighbor in the person of Numidia and Masinissa. Hannibal also advised making peace, although it was meant to deprive his party and himself of influence. But in Rome some accused Scipio of being too soft. Voices were heard saying that it was necessary to completely destroy Carthage. However, Scipio's peace was approved by the Roman people. Scipio burned the Carthaginian fleet (500 ships), established Masinissa in Numidia and returned to Rome. He did not want to destroy Carthage, sparing the capital of a glorious, cultural state. For the final victory over the Carthaginians, Publius Cornelius Scipio received the honorary nickname "Africanus".

Scipio Africanus during the war with Antiochus

In the following years, Scipio Africanus occupied the most prominent places in Rome. He was a censor (199), a second time consul (194) and for several years the princeps (head) of the Senate.

In 190, Scipio Africanus was again sent to wage war - this time with the Syrian king Antiochus III, with whom Hannibal, who had fled from Carthage, took refuge at that time. The consuls for this year were the brother of Scipio Africanus, Lucius, and Laelius. Lucius Scipio, unlike Publius, was an incapable man, and his brother, sent with him to the theater of battle as a formally subordinate legate, was in fact the main leader of the campaign.

Antiochus crossed from Asia to Greece in the spring of 192, promising the impressionable Hellenes liberation from Roman rule. But he led with him only a small army of 10 thousand infantry and 500 horsemen. Few of the Greeks joined Antiochus. Even before the arrival of Scipio Africanus, the Syrian king was completely defeated at Thermopylae in 191 by the consul Atsilius Glabrion. Having lost almost his entire army, Antiochus fled back to Asia.

The following year, Scipio Africanus arrived in Greece with his consul brother. A large army immediately gathered around Publius, including many of his old soldiers, participants in the war with Hannibal. Having replaced Glabrion in command, Scipio Africanus and his brother moved to Asia. Antiochus, who had shortly before captured one of the sons of Scipio Africanus, sent envoys to the latter. They offered to release the son of Publius free of charge and give an even larger sum of money in exchange for peaceful articles favorable to Antiochus. Scipio Africanus replied that he would gratefully accept the release of his son as a private individual, but would not trade the interests of Rome even for this. He advised Antiochus to quickly conclude peace with the Roman people, putting forward his conditions: payment of military costs to Rome and the cession of Asia Minor to the Taurus. Antiochus rejected these demands, but released the son of Scipio Africanus without any ransom.

Before the decisive battle with the Syrian king (at Magnesia), Scipio Africanus fell ill, and the battle took place without his participation. It was led, however, not by the mediocre Lucius Scipio, but by the legate Domitius. The 70,000-strong army of Antiochus III was completely defeated. Antiochus asked for peace. Scipio Africanus and his brother set the same conditions as before. In Asia Minor, Antiochus now retained only the region of Cilicia. He paid the Romans 15 thousand talents of indemnity. The lands taken from Antiochus were distributed to Roman allies: the king of Pergamon Eumenes received the Thracian Chersonesos on the European shore of the Hellespont and Phrygia with Lydia in Asia, and the Rhodians received Lycia and part of Caria. The Greek cities of Asia Minor, previously subject to the Syrian Seleucid kings, now received freedom. In imitation of the title Africanus, previously given to Publius Scipio, the Senate now awarded his incapable brother Lucius the title Asiaticus.

Intrigues of enemies against Scipio

Scipio Africanus towered over the rest of the Romans like a king, surpassing everyone in merit. In the proud consciousness of his greatness, he did not care about people's opinions and rumors and used his leisure time to talk with educated friends, to get acquainted with Greek literature and the arts. Ever since the war with Hannibal, the Senate suspected him of lust for power, almost of a desire for royal power. Some people, like Porcius Cato the Elder, also believed that Scipio Africanus’s excessive passion for the Greek spirit could be dangerous for ancient Roman morals. Others, like Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus, aware of the special social position of Publius Scipio and his obvious desire to place himself above the laws, feared for the freedom of the state. Scipio had many ordinary envious people.

Scipio Africanus knew how to walk with a firm step towards victory, but his foot slipped on the deceptive soil of the intrigues of the political struggle. He was subjected to suspicion and slander, with which opponents wanted to humiliate the hero and darken the halo of his glory. Accusations began to be heard that Publius Scipio, in a reprehensible way, got his mediocre brother appointed commander-in-chief in the war with Antiochus, so that he himself could command this war under the guise of his name - and rise even stronger. This gave the enemies of Scipio Africanus, led by Cato the Elder, the desired opportunity to begin fighting him. The preparation for the attack on him was an attack on his brother, who enjoyed neither the love nor the respect of the people. Two tribunes of the people, whose names were the same - both were called Quintus Petillius - probably cousins ​​among themselves, proposed in 187 BC. the Senate to demand from Lucius Scipio an account of the indemnity paid by Antiochus and the spoils taken in the war with him. The accusation was intended to damage, first of all, Scipio Africanus. He stood up for his brother, relying on the fact that the military leader is not obliged to report money. This was absolutely fair: this was Roman law. But the accusers continued to demand an account from Lucius. Then Scipio Africanus ordered the monetary documents to be brought and tore them up before the eyes of the senators with a proud question: “why do they demand from him an account of 3,000 talents, without asking who delivered the 15,000 talents that Antiochus paid to the Roman treasury, who gave Rome dominion over Spain, Africa and Asia Minor." The tribunes abandoned their demand. But, in all likelihood, the opponents of the Scipios achieved their goal: suspicion among the people was aroused.

In 184 BC. The tribune Marcus Naevius accused Scipio Africanus before the people of having, bribed by Antiochus, concluded peace on too lenient terms. However, Publius was able to experience the pleasure that the people showed their former love for him: the day the trial was decided fell on the anniversary of the Battle of Zama. Scipio came to the people's assembly, accompanied by a large crowd of his friends and clients, and said: “On this day I won a great victory over Hannibal; Therefore, today I will immediately go from here to the Capitol to pray to the gods and thank them for the fact that on this day, as on many others, they gave me the ability to conduct state affairs as needed. And you, Romans, come with me to ask the gods to always place people like me at your head.” When Scipio Africanus left the oratory and went to the Capitol, the whole assembly followed him, and the tribunes and their messengers, who continued to call Publius to account, were left alone. On this day, Scipio Africanus went around all the temples with a crowd of people and celebrated a triumph almost more brilliant than the one he celebrated after the Battle of Zama.

But this did not stop the process started by the tribunes; Scipio Africanus was forced to beg an embassy from the Senate in order to delay the decision of the matter. When he left Rome, the tribune Gaius Minucius Augurius again brought before the popular assembly an accusation against his brother, Lucius, who, according to Augurius, had taken money from Antiochus. The tribune demanded that Lucius be subjected to a huge fine. Lucius was convicted and refused to provide guarantors that he would pay the fine. Minucius ordered him to be taken to prison, but this was forbidden by another tribune, Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus, although he was a personal enemy of the Scipios. The authority of both brothers was undermined; Scipio Africanus lost the almost royal importance that he enjoyed. Deeply offended, he went to his villa, near Literna in Campania, and died there a year after his brother’s trial, at the age of 51, in 183 BC, in the same year as his famous enemy Hannibal. Men like Publius Scipio, says the great historian Theodor Mommsen, men in whom pure gold is mixed with tinsel, need the splendor of youth and fortune in order to charm the masses; when youth has passed, successes have ended, the heart of such a person faints under the weight of disappointments.

Family of Scipio Africanus

From his wife Emilia, daughter of the consul Emilius Paulus who died at Cannes, Scipio Africanus had two sons and two daughters. The eldest son (the one who was captured by Antiochus) disgraced his father's name with a vulgar life. The second son, who, like his father, was called Publius, became a fairly famous speaker and, like all his relatives, knew Greek literature well. But he was a man of poor health and died childless. Thus the family of Scipio Africanus disappeared, and like a brilliant meteor extinguishes in the darkness of the night, so the glorious life of the great father was followed by the insignificance of his children, the cessation of his family. So that the very name of the Scipios would not perish, the childless Publius adopted his cousin, the son of Lucius Aemilius Paulus, who was his mother’s brother. This adopted son was the future famous Scipio Aemilian, the winner of the Carthaginians in the Third Punic War.

Of the daughters of Scipio Africanus, one was married to Cornelius Scipio Nazica, and the other to the aforementioned Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus, who was not always on friendly terms with his father-in-law, but due to his nobility of character helped free his brother from prison. This daughter of Scipio Africanus Cornelia was the mother of the famous

Scipio Africanus the Elder. Antique statue.

Scipio, Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus the Elder (Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus Major) (c. 235 - c. 183 BC), commander and state. activist during the 2nd Punic War. At the Battle of Cannae (216), in which the Romans were defeated by Hannibal, Scipio fought as a military tribune. In 207, he defeated the Carthaginian commander Hasdrubal and gradually subjugated most of Rome Spain. In 205, consul. Showed diplomacy. abilities, prepared the invasion of Africa. Having defeated Hannibal's army at Zama (202), he concluded a peace beneficial to Rome. Upon his return to Rome, Scipio was greeted with triumph and nicknamed Africanus. After the defeat of the Carthaginian army, he played a prominent role in the political life of Rome. Since 199, censor and princeps of the Senate, consul (194).

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Scipio Africanus (235-183). From a very early age he took part in the battles of Tesin and Cannes, where he learned Hannibal's military tactics. Not being elected consul, he received a proconsular empire in Spain in 210 and achieved unprecedented success here, capturing New Carthage, the capital of Punic Spain. In 205, he was elected consul and received consent to conduct military operations in Africa, where, thanks to the support of Massinissa's cavalry, he defeated Hannibal. Having liberated Rome from its most dangerous enemy, he returned home in triumph, wildly welcomed by the people throughout the return journey. According to Titus Livy (XXX, 45), he was the first commander to receive a nickname after the name of the people he conquered (African). Subsequently, as the legate of his brother Lucius, who later received the nickname Asiatic, in 198 he took part in the victorious war of the Romans against Antiochus III the Great and almost captured Hannibal, who was an adviser to the Seleucid king. He also had to visit Carthage again to resolve the border conflict with Massinissa. Seriously ill and dejected by the proceedings initiated by his enemies in the Senate, he ended his days in a villa in Campania.

Materials used: Dridi E. Carthage and the Punic World / Eddie Dridi. – M., 2008, p. 387-389.

Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus the Elder (237-183 BC) - Roman commander and politician. In 218 he took part in the battles of Ticinus and Trebbia. During one of the battles, according to legend, Scipio saved his father’s life ( Publius Cornelius Scipio). After the death of his father in 212, Scipio put forward his candidacy for the post of Roman commander-in-chief in Spain. Having landed at the mouth of the Iber River in 209 and with an army of 30,000, Scipio launched a surprise attack on the Carthaginian stronghold in Spain - New Carthage. Huge booty, noble prisoners and Spanish hostages were taken from the city. Scipio released the latter to their homes without ransom. This secured him the support of many Spanish tribes. In 208, Scipio defeated the Carthaginian commander Hasdrubal at the Battle of Becula. After this, Hasdrubal left Spain and went to Italy to help his brother Hannibal. In 207, Scipio's legate Marcus Junius Silanus defeated the Carthaginian army under the command of Mago. Scipio himself was active at this time in Farther Spain near the Betis River.
With another decisive victory over the Carthaginians at the Battle of Ilipa in 206, Scipio became master of Spain. In the same year, Scipio returned to Rome and was elected consul for 205. Immediately after the elections, he went to Sicily to prepare an army for crossing to Africa. In 204, a 30,000-strong Roman army under the command of Scipio landed in Africa near Utica. The following year, Scipio defeated two Carthaginian-Numidian armies at Utica and on the Bagrada River. In the decisive battle of Zama on October 12, 202, he defeated Hannibal, who had returned from Italy, and forced the Carthaginians to sue for peace. For his victory over the Carthaginians, Scipio received the nickname Africanus and entered Rome in triumph.
For 10 years, Scipio Africanus remained the most significant figure in Rome; he was appointed princeps of the senate, which allowed him to determine the policies of the Roman state. In 198 he was elected censor, in 194 he became consul for the second time, and in 193, as part of a Senate commission, he went to Africa to settle the dispute between the Carthaginians and the Numidian king Masinissa.
In 190, Scipio Africanus, as legate of his brother Lucius, who was elected consul for the war with the Syrian king Antiochus III, went to Asia Minor. He did a lot for victory, although he did not have the chance to participate in the decisive battle of Magnesia due to illness. Upon returning to Rome, the Scipios' political opponents began a campaign to discredit them. Lucius Scipio, who received the nickname of Asia for his victory over Antiochus III, was put on trial for concealing money from the booty and found guilty. In 185, Scipio Africanus was also accused of receiving a large bribe from Antiochus III. Without bringing the matter to trial, he went into voluntary exile in Liternum, where he died in 183.
Titus Livy about Scipio Africanus the Elder: “A man worthy of memory! He is more famous for his military exploits than for any deeds in the peaceful field. Moreover, the first half of his life was more glorious than the second, because he spent all his youth in wars, and with the onset of old age, the glory of his exploits faded, but there was no food for the mind. What, in comparison with his first consulate, was the second, even if we add censorship to it? What did the service as a legate in Asia mean, both useless due to ill health, and overshadowed an unfortunate adventure with his son, and after returning the need to either appear in court, or, avoiding it, leave the fatherland at the same time? But the main glory of the finisher of the Second Punic War, the most significant and most dangerous of all that the Romans waged, belongs to him alone."

Book materials used: Tikhanovich Yu.N., Kozlenko A.V. 350 great. Brief biography of the rulers and generals of antiquity. The Ancient East; Ancient Greece; Ancient Rome. Minsk, 2005.

Read further:

Bickerman E. Chronology of the ancient world. The Middle East and Antiquity. Publishing house "Science", Main editorial office of oriental literature, Moscow, 1975.

Historical figures of Rome (all Romans) and only emperors (name index).

Roman consuls (name index).

Publius Cornelius Scipio (? - 212 BC) - Roman commander and politician, father of Scipio Africanus the Elder.

Publius Cornelius Scipio Aemilian Africanus the Younger (185-129 BC), commander and state. activist, speaker, grandson of Scipio Africanus the Elder.