Scipion the African ( Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus ) is a Général and Statesman Romain, born in 235 av. J. - C., and died in 183 av. J. - C., with Liternum in Campanie. Its tomb as its skin are in the town of Colonia Nerviana Augusta Martialis Veteranorum Sitifensium (Sitifis), capital of Numidie Sétifienne, known as today Sétif, in the Algerian East.

It belonged to the family of the Scipions, connects people Cornelia. He is the son of Publius Cornelius Scipio consul of 218 av. J. - C..

Its beginnings

During the Second Punic War very young Scipion takes share, like military Tribun of the second legion, with the Bataille of Cannes (Apulie), close to current the Canossa in 216 av. J. - C.. This battle was a defeat cuisante against the Carthaginian Hannibal Barca. In 215 av. J. - C. his/her father and his uncle Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus are sent in Hispanie for comabttre the Carthaginoises armies directed by Hasdrubal Barca. In 211 av. J. - C., both are killed by the Carthaginians and the Romaines armies undergo two serious defeats.

Scipion in Hispanie

When in Rome it is a question of finding a general who can replace both Scipion killed by the Carthaginians, nobody proposes. Only Publius Cornelius Scipio, in spite of its young age, is presented to lead the war of Spain to the place of his/her father and his uncle. He is then declared Proconsul in Spain, in 211 av. J. - C., at 24 years. There, it gathers the remainders of the Roman armies and with the recruits brought with him, it launches out to the reconquest of Spain.

After skirmishes against the Carthaginians, it takes the Nouvelle Carthage (Carthagène), in 209 av. J. - C.. This victory enables him to put the hand on a rich person spoils, out of gold, provisions and weapons. It releases the hostages of the various Spanish tribes kept by Hasdrubal to make sure of the fidelity of these tribes. Thanks to that it rejoins the Celtibères (see the episode of the chief ibère Allutius which gave place to the topic of the Continence of Scipion , subject of several tables). From there, it carries out its troops against the Carthaginoises armies and in 208 av. J. - C. it triumphs over Hasdrubal in Bécula, in Andalusia, whereas this one left Spain to join his/her Hannibal brother in Italy. After several victorious battles, it conquers all Andalusia, in 207 av. J. - C..

In same time it treats with the king numide Syphax. In 206 av. J. - C., it must face a mutiny of part of its army, which claimed its pay and believed Scipion, then sick, with the doors of death. It restores the situation and punishes of dead the leaders. It must also face the rising of Iberian tribes which it overcomes with autumn 206. In order to show its good will and to pacify Spain, it does not prevail against not overcome and requires only one tribute, to pay balances it its soldiers. After the tender of Gadès (Cadiz) and alliance with Massinissa, it returns to Rome to the autumn 206 av. J. - C., covered of an immense glory.

Scipion in Africa

Consul in 204 av. J. - C., it receives the Sicily like province. Its posted goal is to carry the war to Africa in order to lead Hannibal to leave Italy to protect its fatherland. Before leaving for Africa, it pacifies Sicily where inhabitants of Syracuse complained to be despoiled by Italians. It passes then the strait and seizes the town of Locres, which had adopted the Carthaginians. The exactions made by the Legate Pleminius which it had left in the city whereas it was turned over to Messine, put it a little in difficulty, but it is quickly cleared crimes committed by Pleminius.Il then leaves Sicily with 50 men-of-war and 400 ships of transport and passes in Africa. The Roman historians varied the number of soldiers from 12.000 to 35.000 soldiers.

In 204 av. J. - C. Scipion is thus in Africa. Massinissa, which was driven out of its throne, by Syphax, joined it with a Numide troop. The beginnings of the war are favorable to the Romans but in front of Utique, Scipion fails. It takes its winter quarters then. When the war begins again in 203 av. J. - C. Scipion is Proconsul, its command is extended until its victory against Carthage. It succeeds in overcoming the general Carthaginois Hannon. The same year it demolishes the king Numide Syphax and the Carthaginoises troops ordered by Hasdrubal Gisco at the time of the Bataille of the Large Plains, close to Cirta. Syphax is captured shortly after and it is Massinissa, combined of Scipion which is the Master of Numidie. Scipion seizes Tunis which it occupies in 203 av. J. - C..

The following year, in 202 av. J. - C., it overcomes the Carthaginois definitively. The senate of Carthage fears that Scipion does not put the seat at the city. He then points out Hannibal which was installed in the Bruttium in Italy. Peace talks between the two generals leave one brief moment to foresee an arrangement which could lead to a peace treaty, but neither one nor the other wish really that. It is on the battle field that the fate of the war will decide. The Battle of Zama, in October 202 av. J. - C., which opposes on a side the Romans, the Latin allies and Numides and other the Carthaginians and de Gaulle mercenaries, of Italy and Spain is a wild battle which concluded by the Roman victory. Carhaginois are obliged to accept the conditions of the peace imposed by the Romans.

Scipion receives the African nickname of then ( Africanus ), that which overcame the Africans. One specifies sometimes Africanus major to distinguish it from Scipion Émilien which accepted also the African nickname of .

The return to Rome

In 199 av. J. - C. he is critic in company of Publius Aelius Paetus. He is consul for the second time in 194 av. J. - C. without this consulate being remarkable. he takes share with the war with his brother Scipion Asian the against Antiochos III of Syria (193 av. J. - C. - 190 av. J. - C.) to the return of which, he met the hostility of the preserving Romans, taken along by Caton Old the, which reproached him for having wasted with its profit of the war indemnities. He then chooses to withdraw himself.

The epitaph of its tomb, located in nonRoman territory, said: “ Ungrateful fatherland, you will not have my bones ”.

Sources

• Roman History of Tite-Live

Simple: Scipio Africanus

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