Scipio Africanus: The First Imperator

The life story of an early Roman military commander whose brilliance surpassed all of the emperors to come.

Scipio Africanus (235-183 BCE) commanded his first army at twenty-five, led a daring invasion of Africa to personally defeat Hannibal, and secured Rome's dominance over the Mediterranean. In ten years of command, he never lost a battle, employing bold strategies to triumph over six enemy generals. Charismatic, ruthless, and self-confident almost to the point of arrogance, Scipio was the first Roman leader hailed as Imperator, "victorious commander," a title later adopted by emperors. He drove Carthage's forces from Spain, annexed its territories, and later imposed terms on Antiochus III, extending Rome's reach eastward. Yet political jealousy at home led to his bitter exile. This biography explores the fortunes, fame, and fate of a leader who outshone Caesar in military genius.