Scipio Africanus

He Who Defeated Hannibal

Profile of a young Scipio Africanus the Elder from a gold signet ring from Capua (late 3rd or early 2nd century B.C.) signed by Herakliedes. Public Domain. Courtesy of Wikipedia.

History & Culture

By

N.S. Gill

Updated on August 15, 2018

Definition: Scipio Africanus or Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus Major won the Hannibalic War or Second Punic War for Rome by defeating Hannibal at Zama in 202 B.C.

Scipio Africanus came from the ancient Roman patrician family of the Cornelii and was the father of Cornelia, the famous mother of the social reforming brothers known as the Gracchi. He came into conflict with the somber Cato the Elder and was accused of corruption. Later, Scipio Africanus is a figure in the fictional "Dream of Scipio". In this surviving section of De re publica, by Cicero, the dead Punic War general tells his adoptive grandson, Publius Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus (185-129 B.C.), about the future of Rome and the constellations. Scipio Africanus' explanation worked its way into medieval cosmology.

Scipio is on the list of Most Important People to Know in Ancient History.

Also Known As: Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus Major, Roman Hannibal

Common Misspellings: Sipio

Examples: Steven Saylor makes Scipio Africanus a very appealing character in his historical fiction history of Rome, Roma.

Go to Other Ancient / Classical History Glossary pages beginning with the letter

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