Livy and Polybius - Biases?

[Steven James]

It would be wrong to say that Polybios "wrote for the Scipio family". They were most certainly his patrons while in Roman exile from Achaia and, as such, he's unlikely to be critical of them. That does not mean he overly exaggerated their importance or actions.

I believe Polybius played down the mistakes of the Scipio family, especially Scipio Africanus’ father and uncle. In a speech found in Livy, Fabius Maximus blames Rome’s defeat at the Trebbia and Lake Trasimene to incompetent commanders and poor troops. I think there is a lot of value in this, and I would add Cannae to the list. Polybius even comments that the Trebbia could have been lost to Publius Scipio’s rashness, or the treachery of the Gauls. The various accounts of the death of Scipio Africanus’ father indicate his father did not learn anything from the Ticinus.

Livy is another kettle of fish. Not a military man…

Livy not being a military man has not been proven. He would have been of military age during the Roman civil wars, of which much of Livy’s work has not survived. Polybius claims to have held a military ranking, but most likely in name only. In comparison, although both writers have made mistakes, I find Livy’s understanding of the Roman army in higher regard than that of Polybius.

He is also guilty, at times, of adding what might be described as "Roman colour" to his narrative.
Could you be more specific on this? Does Livy do this specifically of his own accord, or is he just following his source?

I give up.