Scipio Africanus

Also known as: Scipio the younger · Family: Roman · Role: ancestor of an adoptive son of Aemilius Paulus · First appears: Aemilius Paulus

Scipio Africanus was linked to Aemilius Paulus through a younger son of his cousin-german, the son of Scipio Africanus, who was named Scipio; Nasica was his son-in-law. He also stood in competition with Appius for the censorship. In the conflict with Marcus Cato, “Cato, by opposing Scipio, almost broke and defeated his expedition against the Carthaginians”; Cato later drove him from the city through suspicions and calumnies, while Scipio defeated Hannibal and treated him without harsh terms in the peace.

Scipio’s relationship with Caius Marius is described as both mentor and definitional. Tiberius Gracchus served under him in Africa and was his kinsman and friend, though their differences were attributed largely to ambition; Scipio had also been thought worthy to marry Cornelia, and the younger Scipio married her sister Caius Gracchus’s sister. After Scipio’s death, Tiberius Gracchus married Cornelia. Caius Laelius was his intimate friend, while Fulvius Flaccus was his enemy and publicly reflected upon him.

Relationship record

Life events

• Marcus Cato opposed Scipio's expedition and eventually chased him from the city.(Comparison of Aristides with Marcus Cato.)
  • With: Marcus Cato
  • “Cato, by opposing Scipio, almost broke and defeated his expedition against the Carthaginians, in which he overthrew Hannibal, who till then was even invincible; and, at last, by continually raising suspicions and calumnies against him, he chased him from the city, and inflicted a disgraceful sentence on his brother for robbing the state.”
• Tiberius (father) married Cornelia after Scipio Africanus's death.(Tiberius Gracchus)
  • With: tiberiusfather Cornelia
  • “after the death of Scipio who overthrew Hannibal, he was thought worthy to match with his daughter Cornelia”

Aemilius Paulus

• with Nasica (interaction) “Scipio, surnamed Nasica, son-in-law to Scipio Africanus”
• child: Scipio “the younger, by the son of Scipio Africanus, his cousin-german, and was by him named Scipio”
• with Nasica (interaction) “Scipio, surnamed Nasica, son-in-law to Scipio Africanus”
• rivals with Appius “these two being in their time the most considerable men in the city, and standing in competition for the office of censor”

Comparison of Aristides with Marcus Cato.

• rivals with Marcus Cato (Cato is presented as contesting with Scipio Africanus.) “It was not as great a matter to have Themistocles for an adversary, a person of mean extraction and small fortune, (for he was not worth, it is said, more than four or five talents when he first applied himself to public affairs,) as to contest with a Scipio Africanus, a Servius Galba, and a Quintius Flamininus, having no other aid but a tongue free to assert right.”
• enemies with Marcus Cato (Cato opposed Scipio and drove him from the city.) “Cato, by opposing Scipio, almost broke and defeated his expedition against the Carthaginians, in which he overthrew Hannibal, who till then was even invincible; and, at last, by continually raising suspicions and calumnies against him, he chased him from the city, and inflicted a disgraceful sentence on his brother for robbing the state.”

Flamininus

• enemies with Hannibal “Scipio gave him his hand, and in the peace made after it, he put no hard article upon him, nor insulted over his fallen fortune.”
• rivals with Marcus Cato “At this time, the two greatest and most eminent persons in the city, Africanus Scipio and Marcus Cato, were at variance.”

Caius Marius

• pupil: Caius Marius “Scipio, gently clapping Marius on the shoulder as he sat next him, replied, ”
• definitional with Caius Marius

Tiberius Gracchus

• with Caius Gracchus (interaction) “the younger Scipio, who had married his sister”
• friends with Tiberius Gracchus “his kinsman and friend Tiberius”
• enemies with Tiberius Gracchus “the difference between them was for the most part due to ambitious feelings”
• child: Cornelia “he was thought worthy to match with his daughter Cornelia”
• with Tiberius Gracchus (interaction) “This young Tiberius, accordingly, serving in Africa under the younger Scipio”
• friends with Caius Laelius “Caius Laelius, the intimate friend of Scipio”

Caius Gracchus

• enemies with Fulvius Flaccus “the greatest part of the odium attached to Fulvius, because he was his enemy, and that very day had reflected upon Scipio in a public address to the people”
• with Caius Gracchus (Caius was suspected in connection with Scipio's unexplained death.) “Nor was Caius himself clear from suspicion”

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Extracted from the original text of Plutarch's Lives. Made with Rho MD.