Rome\'s most able general?

[Paullus Scipio]

Antiochus/Steven wrote:-

I'm putting my money on the camp guards for the larger camp, were like the primary sources state, consisted of two legions, (one Roman, one allied - hastati, principes, triarii and accensi).

.....I don't think the sources tell us who they were, Steven. Polybius simply says that there were "10,000" left in the main camp, without saying who they were, ........The Legions, normally 4,200 strong at this time,had been brought up to 5,000 strong for this campaign.When this occurred the Velites, Hastati, and Principes were all increased proportionally, but not the Triarii, who will thus have numbered around 9,600 for the whole army.

Since the Triarii customarily provided the camp guard, it is tempting to equate these with Polybius' "10,000"......

OTOH, Polybius explains that Paullus left the "10,000" specifically to take Hannibal's camp (on the same side of the river) if they could - though they don't seem to have attempted it....hardly a task for Triarii(assaulting a hill-top fortified camp) one would have thought.