Scipio Africanus

Customer Reviews

• Fitting tribute to an underappreciated commander

  This book is a excellent piece of military history. A thoroughly enjoyable read that provides a well-developed insight into the military and diplomatic genius of Scipio Africanus. A must read for any military professional or strategist. The diplomatic and military philosophy insights of Scipio could be highly beneficial to politicians who influence national military strategy. All-in-all a great read!

• Brilliantly Written Military History

  The subtitle accurately reflects Liddell Hart's opinion of Scipio Africanus. Liddell Hart was a leading British military historian and strategist between the two world wars of the 20th century. But in 1926 at age 31, he wrote this brilliant concise history of the third century BCE Roman general. Publius Scipio Africanus led the Romans to victory over the Carthaginians in the Second Punic War. He defeated the better known Hannibal in the Battle of Zama in 202 BCE.
  
  After a brief introduction and the story of Hannibal's defeat of Scipio's father in 211 BCE, Liddell Hart takes the reader through Scipio's victorious campaign against the Carthaginians in the Iberian Peninsula. Liddell Hart is unstinting in his praise of the Scipio's willingness and ability to innovate and break free from stale military strategies and tactics. He also lauds Scipio's generous treatment of the native tribes and even his defeated foes. Scipio returns home to election as consul and appointment as general for Sicily and Africa. Liddell Hart portrays Scipio as beset by conservative and jealous senators more anxious to drag him down than to further Roman interests.
  
  Scipio narrowly prevails over his political enemies, but is granted a very small force in Sicily. Scipio overcomes all odds, takes his army to Africa and defeats the legendary and much more experienced Hannibal. He returns to Rome and an increasingly unhappy struggle against his political foes led by Cato the Elder.
  
  Liddell Hart's writing is clear and concise (the Da Capo Press version is just 280 pages). He makes military strategy and tactics accessible to the general reader. From both the context and numerous comments, it is clear that Liddell Hart's high opinion of Scipio Africanus was against the grain of accepted scholarship at the time. He is especially dismissive of the opinions of the academic historians with no military background. I will leave it to others to argue the relative merits of Liddell Hart's view of the Roman general, but his book is well worth reading.
  

• Officer, Historian, "Lawyer"...

  The title of this review is about the author. But it is relevant to know the author so we can make a better assessment of this great book. Being a military man and having seen action he understands concepts and situations that most armchair generals or historians couldn't possibly comprehend. Being an historian, the author knows the sources, the controversies and their works (like Theodore Dodge). Although not a "Lawyer" by profession, the author defends his case with remarkable skill.
  
  Obviously Scipio Africanus is the authors hero, and he doesn't hide it; it's pretty much clear since the beginning of the book. Scipio's approach to warfare is quite similar to the authors own, including a reliance on mobile forces, economy of force, limiting the damage done on both sides in conflict, etc. Know to put it simple: Scipio Africanus has all the elements that constitute a great man. And unfortunately since his times he was attacked by the few failures (the Locres affair) he had in a long career and by prejudice of ultra-conservative factions.
  
  The author not only gives us an interesting biographie of the roman general, that was undefeated in all the battles he led although having fought engagements against great generals (including Hannibal Barca), but also compares limitations in the "environment" and several military skills like logistical capacity; tactical skill, strategy, etc, from the great military minds ancient and modern. This last analyses, although interesting, is quite manipulated and to be done properly it would need several thousand pages of data and not only comparing a few very specific events. Nonetheless it clearly shows us that Scipio Africanus is one of the great military minds of all times.
  
  Although this book is clearly pro-Scipio, it doesn't cover only his fabulous successes in Hispania and Africa and how he bypassed dificulties (like the oposition in the senate). The decline of probably the greatest roman general is also analysed. Also the situation that blemished his entire career has a full chapter detailing the event meticulously.
  
  A good read that is a monument to a man that deserves it.

• not a bad read

  Halfway through the book, the author makes a great argument on why Scipio deserve more recognition, it is a worthy side of history that is not often taught in academia.

• student study of roman history

  I found this book to be a perfect gift for a high school student who appreciates the ancient world and the things that can be learned from that past and used today.,