09-29-2019, 01:10 PM
Polybius does not mention Gaius Laelius being sent to Rome immediately after the battle of Zama. All that Polybius says about the aftermath of the battle is that with,... "The action over, Scipio after following up the enemy and plundering their camp returned to his own." Livy and Appian both include Laelius` mission however:
Livy firstly, in Book 30.36:
Immediately after the battle, Scipio, having taken and plundered the enemy's camp, returned to the sea and his ships, with an immense booty, news having reached him that Publius Lentulus had arrived at Utica with fifty men of war, and a hundred transports laden with every kind of stores. Concluding that he ought to bring before Carthage every thing which could increase the consternation already existing there, after sending Laelius to Rome to report his victory, he ordered Cneius Octavius to conduct the legions thither by land; and, setting out himself from Utica with the fresh fleet of Lentulus, added to his former one, made for the harbour of Carthage.
(Trans. Cyrus Edmonds 1850)
And in Appian at 10.48:
Now Scipio, having gained this splendid victory, girded himself as for a sacrifice and burned the less valuable spoils of the enemy, as is the custom of the Roman generals. He sent to Rome ten talents of gold, 2,500 talents of silver, a quantity of carved ivory, and many distinguished captives in ships, and Laelius to carry news of the victory.
That first news of a victory against Hannibal would have arrived in Rome around the beginning of November 202, but it would be another five months before the formal announcement of the end of the war in Rome and celebrations were held.
Earlier I think, I mentioned the rather odd aside by Livy about Valerius Antias` claim that there had been a preliminary battle before Zama. I suspect that Valerius` claim is based upon a battle report sent by Scipio and presented by Laelius.
"Valerius Antius records that he [Hannibal] was defeated by Scipio in a preliminary encounter, in which he lost 12,000 men and a further 1,700 taken prisoner. It was after this that he [Hannibal] went to Scipio’s camp as an official envoy with ten other colleagues." (Livy 29.7.)
Livy made it very clear that he had read all histories and annals available and quite obviously Valerius` battle did not appear in any of them; it was only to be found in Valerius Antias` history. Rather than fabricate the event, I think that Valerius found this information in a source that Livy never bothered to make use of.
There are two sources which Valerius may have made use of which Livy did not. The first is the Annales maximi, compiled by Publius Mucius Scaevola between 130-115 BC when he was Pontifex Maximus and the other source could perhaps be the Linen Rolls. Livy only refers to other histrorians and annalists who made use of the Linen rolls; he does this at 4.7 and 4.23 of his ab Urbe Condita - in 4.23 Valerius himself is mentioned.
I suspect that Scipio sent Laelius with a false report after he had beaten Hannibal`s cavalry at Kbor Klib; it was a half-truth, Hannibal was only effectively beaten and all but for the resistance of Vermina, the war was over.
Livy firstly, in Book 30.36:
Immediately after the battle, Scipio, having taken and plundered the enemy's camp, returned to the sea and his ships, with an immense booty, news having reached him that Publius Lentulus had arrived at Utica with fifty men of war, and a hundred transports laden with every kind of stores. Concluding that he ought to bring before Carthage every thing which could increase the consternation already existing there, after sending Laelius to Rome to report his victory, he ordered Cneius Octavius to conduct the legions thither by land; and, setting out himself from Utica with the fresh fleet of Lentulus, added to his former one, made for the harbour of Carthage.
(Trans. Cyrus Edmonds 1850)
And in Appian at 10.48:
Now Scipio, having gained this splendid victory, girded himself as for a sacrifice and burned the less valuable spoils of the enemy, as is the custom of the Roman generals. He sent to Rome ten talents of gold, 2,500 talents of silver, a quantity of carved ivory, and many distinguished captives in ships, and Laelius to carry news of the victory.
That first news of a victory against Hannibal would have arrived in Rome around the beginning of November 202, but it would be another five months before the formal announcement of the end of the war in Rome and celebrations were held.
Earlier I think, I mentioned the rather odd aside by Livy about Valerius Antias` claim that there had been a preliminary battle before Zama. I suspect that Valerius` claim is based upon a battle report sent by Scipio and presented by Laelius.
"Valerius Antius records that he [Hannibal] was defeated by Scipio in a preliminary encounter, in which he lost 12,000 men and a further 1,700 taken prisoner. It was after this that he [Hannibal] went to Scipio’s camp as an official envoy with ten other colleagues." (Livy 29.7.)
Livy made it very clear that he had read all histories and annals available and quite obviously Valerius` battle did not appear in any of them; it was only to be found in Valerius Antias` history. Rather than fabricate the event, I think that Valerius found this information in a source that Livy never bothered to make use of.
There are two sources which Valerius may have made use of which Livy did not. The first is the Annales maximi, compiled by Publius Mucius Scaevola between 130-115 BC when he was Pontifex Maximus and the other source could perhaps be the Linen Rolls. Livy only refers to other histrorians and annalists who made use of the Linen rolls; he does this at 4.7 and 4.23 of his ab Urbe Condita - in 4.23 Valerius himself is mentioned.
I suspect that Scipio sent Laelius with a false report after he had beaten Hannibal`s cavalry at Kbor Klib; it was a half-truth, Hannibal was only effectively beaten and all but for the resistance of Vermina, the war was over.
