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spilt Roman blood (Pun. 3.261-264). 383 The context of the spilt blood was, of course,
quite different and the two Scipios involved were at opposite ends of the scale for virtus
(cf. Suetonius, D. Iul. 59).
Florus locates Zama as one of the greatest battles in Roman history due to the
personal qualities of Scipio and Hannibal. They are considered the two greatest generals
of all time. Hannibal is even represented as the conqueror of Italy:
non fuit maior sub imperio Romano dies quam ille, cum duo omnium
et antea et postea ducum maximi duces, ille Italiae, hic Hispaniae
victor, conlatis comminus signis direxere aciem.
Florus, 1.22.58
In the whole history of the Roman empire there was no more notable
occasion than when the two generals, greater than any before or since,
the one the conqueror of Italy, the other of Spain, drew up their armies
for a pitched battle.
Forster, 1995, 113.
Hannibal and Scipio meet before battle: An irresistible concept
Most authors present a „moment in history‟ depicting Scipio and Hannibal meeting 384
shortly before Zama to discuss the possibility of agreeing to peace terms (Hist. 15.6.3-
14; Livy 30.30-31; Appian Pun. 39; Zon. 9.14, Florus 1.22.58). Rossi reads Livy‟s
episode as indebted to Polybius‟ account but notes that Livy‟s Hannibal has quite
distinct non-Polybian characteristics. 385 Livy acknowledges that there were other
traditions, such as Valerius Antias‟ claim that Hannibal was simply one of a group of
ten delegates meeting Scipio to discuss terms after Hannibal had been defeated by
Scipio in a battle prior to Zama (Livy, 30.29.7). Furthermore Livy allows for doubt over
the credibility of the speeches at the meeting, by reminding his audience that it was held
in private, and, when Scipio addressed his men afterwards, he was free to report on the
meeting as he wished: ad hoc conloquium Hannibalis in secreto habitum ac liberum
383 Ahl, Davis, Pomeroy, 1986, 2518 note the comparison: „another Scipio confronts Caesar and the
republican forces at Thapsus: the battle that Lucan says the ghosts of Carthage will have their fill of
Roman blood (Lucan 6.309-311).‟
384 Walbank, 1967, 451 believes it possible and even probable but acknowledges that it might be derived
from Ennius. Goldsworthy, 2000, 301 accepts the meeting but doubts the speeches preserve anything of
the actual conversation. Contra Seibert, 1993, 465; also Mellor, 1999, 61, describes the meeting in Livy‟s
text as „fictitious; it encapsulates the confrontation better than any description of battle tactics.‟
385 Rossi, 2004, 359.
177