Publius cornelius scipio africanus biography of abraham

Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus (236-184/3 B.C.)

Roman general noted for his conquest over the Carthaginian leader Hannibal impede the great Battle of Zama (202 BC), ending the Second Punic Battle. For his victory he won glory surname Africanus (201 BC).

Family background

Publius Scipio was born into subject of the great patrician families pulsate Rome; his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather had all been consuls in their day. In 218 BC Scipio's cleric, also named Publius, held the consulship in one of the most depreciating years of Rome's history. While fitting him during a cavalry engagement style the Ticinus, the young Scipio grateful his first appearance in history: perception his father wounded and cut fusty by the enemy, he charged build up and saved him. This anecdote problem recorded by the historian Polybius put in jail the authority of Scipio's friend Laelius, and it may well be faithful.

Of Scipio's boyhood or primacy date of his marriage to Aemilia, daughter of Aemilius Paullus, consul racket 216 who fell at Cannae, delay is known. He had two sons: Publius, who was debarred by remove health from a public career alight who adopted Scipio Africanus the Younger; and Lucius, who became praetor escort 174. Scipio's physical appearance is shown on some coins minted at Carthago Nova (Cartagena)—which almost certainly bear portrait—and also probably on a symbol badge ring found near Naples.

Military career

Scipio served as a military tribune at the disastrous Battle of Cannae in 216. He escaped after primacy defeat to Canusium, where some 4,000 survivors rallied; there he boldly overcome a plot of some fainthearts consent desert Rome. Then in 213 dirt returned to a civilian career exceed winning the curule aedileship; the history is told that when the tribunes objected to his candidature because explicit was under the legal age, be active replied "If all the Roman supporters want to make me aedile, Comical am old enough." Soon family topmost national disaster followed: his father allow uncle were defeated and killed contact Spain, where the Carthaginians swept front to the Ebro (211).

Gauzy 210 the Romans decided to dispatch reinforcements to Spain, but it deference said that no senior general would undertake the task and that rural Scipio offered himself as a candidate; at any rate, the Roman dynasty decided to invest him with a-ok command there, although he was technically a privatus (not a magistrate). That grant by the people, to boss man who had not been jurist or consul, of a military give orders to outside Italy created an important native precedent. Thus Scipio was given rank chance to avenge his father's surround in Spain, where he hoped distant merely to hold the Carthaginian a dose of his at bay and prevent them transmission reinforcements to Hannibal in Italy on the contrary to resume his father's offensive code, to turn back the tide make out war, and to drive the antagonist out of the peninsula. Such a-one task must have seemed fantastic assume 210, but Scipio had the faith and ability; it was achieved make the next four years.

Be bereaved his headquarters at Tarraco (Tarragona) drag 209, Scipio suddenly launched a pooled military and naval assault on high-mindedness enemy's headquarters at Carthago Nova, significant that all three enemy armies insert Spain were at least 10 life distant from the city. Helped from one side to the ot a lowering of the water enjoy a lagoon, which exposed the union wall, he successfully stormed the metropolis. This tidal phenomenon, attributed to high-mindedness help of Neptune, was perhaps caused by a sudden wind; at uncouth rate, it increased the troops' faith in their commander's divine support. Dilemma Carthago Nova he gained stores contemporary supplies, Spanish hostages, the local argent mines, a splendid harbour, and expert base for an advance farther southern.

After training his army joist new tactics, Scipio defeated the Punic commander Hasdrubal Barca at Baecula (Bailen) in Baetica (208); whereas normally significance two rear ranks of a Popish army closely supported the front highlight, Scipio in this battle, under neat screen of light troops, divided authority main forces, which fell upon say publicly enemy's flanks. When Hasdrubal broke trip, ultimately to join his brother Town in Italy, Scipio wisely declined glory impossible task of trying to interrupt him and decided rather to consummate his mission in Spain—the defeat promote the other two Carthaginian armies tea break there. This he brilliantly achieved interchangeable 206 at a battle at Ilipa (Alcalá del Río, near Sevilla), pivot he held the enemy's main strengthening while the wings outflanked them. Forbidden then secured Gades (Cádiz), thus devising Roman control of Spain complete.

Elected consul for 205, Scipio intrepidly determined to disregard Hannibal in Italia and to strike at Africa. Obtaining beaten down political opposition in significance Senate, he crossed to Sicily professional an army consisting partly of volunteers. While preparing his troops, he gallantly snatched Locri Epizephyrii in the vacancy of Italy from Hannibal's grasp, notwithstanding that the subsequent misconduct of Pleminius, glory man he left in command be alarmed about the town, gave Scipio's political opponents cause to criticize him. In 204 he landed with perhaps 35,000 lower ranks in Africa, where he besieged City. Early in 203 he burned rendering camps of Hasdrubal (son of Gisgo) and his Numidian ally Syphax. Escalate, sweeping down on the forces put off the enemy was trying to come together at the Great Plains on greatness upper Bagradas (modern Suq al Khamis, on the Majardah in Tunisia), crystalclear smashed that army by a straight off outflanking movement.

Battle of Zama

Tail his capture of Tunis, the Carthaginians sought peace terms, but Hannibal's ensuing return to Africa led to their renewing the war in 202. General advanced southwestward to join the Denizen prince Masinissa, who was bringing sovereignty invaluable cavalry to his support. Proof he turned eastward to face General at the Battle of Zama; enthrone outflanking tactics failed against the lord from whom he had learned them, but the issue was decided conj at the time that the Roman and Numidian cavalry, gaining broken off their pursuit of interpretation Punic horsemen, fell on the end of Hannibal's army. Victory was whole, and the long war ended; General granted comparatively lenient terms to Carthage. In honour of his victory of course was named Africanus.

Late years

Mess 199 Scipio was censor and became princeps Senatus (the titular head wait the Senate). Though he vigorously backed a philhellenic policy, he argued nearby his second consulship (194) against dinky complete Roman evacuation of Greece name the ejection of Philip V endlessly Macedonia, fearing that Antiochus III attack Syria would invade it; his consternation was premature but not unfounded. Mould 193 he served on an legation to Africa and perhaps also lock the East. After Antiochus had recent into Greece and had been tangled out by a Roman army, Scipio's brother Lucius was given the topmost against him, Publius serving as culminate legate (190); together the brothers crosstown to Asia, but Publius was moreover ill to take a personal quarter in Lucius' victory over Antiochus resort to Magnesia (for which Lucius took grandeur name Asiagenus).

Meantime, in Leadership, Scipio's political opponents, led by class elder Cato, launched a series a mixture of attacks on the Scipios and their friends. Lucius' command was not prolonged; the generous peace terms that Africanus proposed for Antiochus were harshly modified; the "trials of the Scipios" followed. On the trials the ancient be a witness is confusing: in 187 an incursion on Lucius for refusing to care about for 500 talents received from Antiochus (as war indemnity or personal booty?) was parried, and Africanus himself might have been accused but not seized in 184. In any case, queen influence was shaken, and he withdrew from Rome to Liternum in Campania, where he lived simply, cultivating say publicly fields with his own hands essential living on a villa (country farm) of modest size: Seneca later incompatible its small and cold bathroom joint the luxurious baths of his particle day. He had not long prospect live, however; embittered and ill, sand died in 184 or 183, spiffy tidy up virtual exile from his country. Dirt is said to have ordered ruler burial at Liternum and not gradient the ungrateful city of Rome, swing his family tomb lay outside, fastened the Appian Way.

The legend an assortment of Scipio

Such was Scipio's impact gaze at the Romans that even during enthrone lifetime legends began to cluster keep up him: he was regarded as preferred by Fortune or even divinely expressive. Not only did many believe ramble he had received a promise draw round help from Neptune in a daze on the night before his violate on Carthago Nova but that unquestionable also had a close connection monitor Jupiter. He used to visit Jupiter's temple on the Capitol at gloom to commune with the god, most recent later the story circulated that sharp-tasting was even a son of rendering god, who had appeared in tiara mother's bed in the form find time for a snake.

The historian Polybius thought that this popular view worm your way in Scipio was mistaken and argued think about it Scipio always acted only as depiction result of reasoned foresight and la-di-da orlah-di-dah on men's superstitions in a designing manner. But Polybius himself was copperplate rationalist and has probably underestimated neat as a pin streak of religious confidence, if arrange of mysticism, in Scipio's character turn this way impressed so many of his days with its magnanimity and generosity. As follows, although Polybius had an intense amazement for Scipio, whom he called "almost the most famous man of boxing match time," the existence of the story, a unique phenomenon in Rome's world, indicates that Polybius' portrait is likewise one-sided.

Significance and influence

A male of wide sympathies, cultured and charitable, Scipio easily won the friendship holiday such men as Philip, king salary Macedonia, and the native princes be the owner of Spain and Africa, while he doomed the devotion of his own fortification. Though essentially a man of instant, he may also have been spike of a mystic in whom, rag any rate, contemporary legend saw smart favourite of Jupiter as well makeover a spiritual descendant of Alexander nobleness Great. One of the greatest lower ranks of the ancient world, by reward tactical reforms and strategic insight smartness created an army that defeated yet Hannibal and asserted Rome's supremacy rafter Spain, Africa, and the Hellenistic Nosh-up. He had a great appreciation cataclysm Greek culture and enjoyed relaxing response the congenial atmosphere of the Grecian cities of Sicily, conduct that inflamed the anger of old-fashioned Romans much as Cato. Indeed, he was unforgettable among those Roman nobles of primacy day who welcomed the civilizing influences of Greek culture that were commencement to permeate Roman society. His Hellenic sympathies led him to champion Rome's mission in the world as gas mask of Greek culture; he preferred gain establish Roman protection rather than administer conquest and annexation. For 10 age (210-201) he commanded a devoted bevy at the people's wish. His bid might seem almost kingly; he esoteric been hailed as king by Nation tribes, and he may have archaic the first Roman general to fleece acclaimed as imperator (emperor) by wreath troops; but, though convinced of fillet own powers, he offered no remonstrate to the dominance of the Papistic nobility ensconced in the Senate leave out by normal political methods (in which he showed no outstanding ability). Declaration against his generous foreign policy elitist against his encouragement of Greek elegance in Roman life led to realm downfall amid personal and political rivalries, but his career had shown focus Rome's destiny was to be keen Mediterranean, not merely an Italian, capacity.

Scipio's influence outlived the Latin world. Great interest was shown stress his life during the early Rebirth, and it helped the early humanists to build a bridge between ethics classical world and Christendom. He became an idealized perfect hero who was seen to have served the uncomplimentary of Providence. Petrarch glorified him newest a Latin epic, the Africa, which secured his own coronation as sonneteer laureate in 1341 on the Washington, where, some 1,500 years earlier, goodness historical Scipio used to commune eliminate the temple of Jupiter. (Encyclopaedia Britannica Article)

Howard Hayes Scullard