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Sic vir fortissimus, multis variisque perfunctus laboribus, anno
adquievit septuagesimo. Quibus consulibus interierit non convenit.
Namque Atticus M. Claudio Marcello Q. Fabio Labeone consulibus
mortuum in Annali suo scriptum reliquit, at Polybius L. Aemilio Paulo
Cn. Baebio Tamphilo, Sulpicius autem Blitho P. Cornelio Cethego M.
Baebio Tamphilo.
Cornelius Nepos, Hann. 13.1.
Thus that bravest of men, after having performed many and varied
labours, entered into rest in his seventieth year. Under what consuls he
died is disputed. For Atticus has recorded in his Annals that he died in
the consulate of Marcus Claudius Marcellus and Quintus Fabius Labeo
(183); Polybius under Lucius Aemilius Paulus and Gnaeus Baebius
Tamphilus (182); and Sulpicius Blitho, in the time of Publius
Cornelius Cethegus and Marcus Baebius Tamphilus (181).
Rolfe, 1984, 281
Although Cornelius Nepos leaves the final decision to his reader, his summary indicates
another influence on Polybius‟ decision-making that is not apparent from Livy‟s
remarks. Polybius not only has Scipio Africanus, Hannibal and Philopoemen die in the
same year, but, according to Nepos, places them in the consulship of Lucius Aemilius
Paulus, the natural father of Scipio Aemilianus. 433 If Polybius manipulated the material
to record these deaths not only within the same Olympiad (four years) but also within a
particular consulship, the same question arises over the tradition preferred by Atticus,
also cited by Nepos, who placed Hannibal‟s death in the consulship of Marcus Claudius
Marcellus. Marcus Claudius Marcellus was a common consular name, of course, but
also happens to be the namesake of the first Roman general to inflict a significant defeat
on Hannibal.
A number of texts say that Flamininus travelled to Bithynia in order to collect
Hannibal from Prusias (Cornelius Nepos, Hann. 12.1-2; Livy, 39.51.1; Justinus, 32.4).
Livy modifies it slightly by referring to Flamininus having other business with Prusias,
but the only business mentioned is the surrender of Hannibal arising from the suspicion
that Prusias was harbouring an enemy of Rome.
Plutarch, on the other hand, writes that Flamininus happened to see Hannibal at
Prusias‟ court while there on other business and decided to capture him (Plutarch,
Flamininus, 20.3). The representations of Flamininus‟ determination to capture
Hannibal are not to his glorification but make him the subject of criticism. Livy
206