| Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus changed the course of history when he accepted the Spanish command during the Second Punic War. He started his campaign in Spain against three Carthaginian armies. Innovative and daring on the battlefield, he methodically eliminated the enemy armies. He gained the loyalty of the natives with just reparations and kind treatment. Within his own army new training led to a disciplined, mobile force. Scipio combined tactics, strategy, diplomacy, and the use of psychology to seize dominance in Spain from the Carthaginians.; Under his leadership, the influence of Rome expanded from Italy and Sicily to Spain, Africa, Greece, and Asia Minor. He was able to perform this miraculous transformation without abusing his power. Later generals used their power to destroy the Republic. Scipio truly showed his greatness not by the way he gained power but by the way he set it down. |
