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What Hannibal Barca thought of Scipio Africanus!

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Qnzkid711 View Drop Down
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  Quote Qnzkid711 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: What Hannibal Barca thought of Scipio Africanus!
    Posted: 16-Jan-2005 at 00:45

 Very interesting, to see that these guys didnt completely hate each other. But more or less admired each other. This is from the accounts of Levy:

  "Africanus asked who, in Hannibal's opinion, was the greatest general of all time. Hannibal replied: 'Alexander, King of the Macedonians, because with a small force he routed armies of countless numbers, and because he traversed the remotest lands. Merely to visit such lands transcended human expectation.' Asked whom he would place second, Hannibal said: 'Pyrrhus. He was the first to teach the art of laying out a camp. Besides that, no one has ever shown nicer judgement in choosing his ground, or in disposing his forces. He also had the art of winning men to his side; so that the Italian peoples preferred the overlordship of a foreign king to that of the Roman people, who for so long had been the chief power in that country.' When Africanus followed up by asking whom he ranked third, Hannibal unhesitatingly chose himself. Scipio burst out laughing at this, and said: 'What would you have said if you had defeated me?' 'In that case', replied Hannibal, 'I should certainly put myself before Alexander and before Pyrrhus - in fact, before all other generals!' This reply, with its elaborate Punic subtlety, and this unexpected kind of flattery...affected Scipio deeply, because Hannibal had set him (Scipio) apart from the general run of commanders, as one whose worth was beyond calculation.
Livy, The History of Rome from its Foundation XXXV.14"

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  Quote Qnzkid711 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-Jan-2005 at 00:48
Sorry Livy
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  Quote J.M.Finegold Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17-Jan-2005 at 00:27
It's also most likely b.s. included by Livy.
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  Quote Qnzkid711 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17-Jan-2005 at 12:17
Could be.

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  Quote Imperatore Dario I Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06-Feb-2005 at 06:48
Yeah, although that particular story about Hannibal and Scipio may be false, they did become close friends after Hannibal's defeat at Zama.

Let there be a race of Romans with the strength of Italian courage.- Virgil's Aeneid
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  Quote YusakuJon3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-Feb-2005 at 19:46
Close friends?  Arch-rivals with serious respect for one another, perhaps.  But I'd fail to see where one would want ot be friends with the commander of an army which had just taken them down on their own territory and forced them into an exile which would only end in tragedy.  Especially given the historic conflict between Rome and Carthage.
"There you go again!"

-- President Ronald W. Reagan (directed towards reporters at a White House press conference, mid-1980s)
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  Quote Laelius Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-Feb-2005 at 00:42

But I'd fail to see where one would want ot be friends with the commander of an army which had just taken them down on their own territory and forced them into an exile which would only end in tragedy.

 

Scipio didn't exile Hannibal, the Roman Senate did.  In fact Scipio was a staunch defender on Hannibal within the Senate.

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  Quote Qnzkid711 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-Feb-2005 at 20:17
 Hannibal was betrayed by his own people, political enemies. They went to Rome and said Hannibal was planning another attack. Hannibal did great things for Carthage once he dropped his military career. But many did not like him.   

"Europe and Asia are finally mine. Woe to Chritendom. She has lost her sword and shield."
Ottoman Sultan after hearing of the death of Skenderbeg.
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  Quote Landsknecht_Doppelsoldner Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15-Feb-2005 at 08:49

Originally posted by YusakuJon3

Close friends?  Arch-rivals with serious respect for one another, perhaps.  But I'd fail to see where one would want ot be friends with the commander of an army which had just taken them down on their own territory and forced them into an exile which would only end in tragedy.  Especially given the historic conflict between Rome and Carthage.

Why are you so surprised that rival fighting men could become friends?  It has happened plenty of times in the past--Douglas Bader & Adolf Galland, Geronimo & General George Crook, etc.

"Who despises me and my praiseworthy craft,

I'll hit on the head that it resounds in his heart."


--Augustin Staidt, of the Federfechter (German fencing guild)
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