Rome\'s most able general?

[Paullus Scipio]

Steven wrote:-

Can you supply the exact reference?

I think it is Suda/Suidas frag 96 - where he describes the Celt-Iberian sword-making methods, and states that the Romans adopted the form but not the method, and adopted it during the war with Hannibal....the whole question is somewhat vexed and controversial...some believing the Polybius references I mentioned imply the Gladius Hispaniesis was adopted earlier, since it is impliedly in use during the wars with the Gauls , Telamon etc before the second Punic War. Livy, in describing the duel between Manlius Torquatus (Livy 7.10) and a giant Gaul around 362 BC, has Manlius strap on a Gladius Hispaniensis, but this is almost certainly an anachronism.

Unlike some academics, I do not find Polybius’ first time use of the term cohort as proof of when it was introduced.

But then how do you explain Dionysius and Livy’ use of cohort for the early republic, not to forget the middle republic period? If memory serves me correct, Livy uses the term cohort fifteen times in books I to V. Dionysius somewhere around 11 times, and on four occasions gives the number of men in a cohort.

...but it is here that Polybius describes the use of a cohort manouevring as a tactical unit for the first time, and the cohort eventually supercedes the maniple as tactical unit...previous references to cohort seem to refer to an administrative unit only....the various maniples generally do not manouevre together as a cohort...

Note that previously, the army can only effect outflanking manouevres by detaching 'ad hoc' units, not by the whole army manouevring.
Here is not the place to debate earlier Roman practice but at Sentinum for example, Livy only talks of reseves being moved up and used, not flanking manouevres.....