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Hello,While reading a book about the Punic wars, was intrigued with a quote from Livius, a - where Scipio and Hannibal meet. The author states that maybe the encounter never happened but nevertheless I thought it was an interesting quote.Hannibal, upon being asked by Scipio, who was the greatest general, answered, Alexander,King of the Macedonians- because, with a handful of men, had conquered an infinitely more numerous army and because he had explored parts of the world most men could only dream of seeing.

The second general was Pyhrrus- when asked for the third most important general he answered that he considered himself.
After, Scipio asked Hannibal who he would have thought was number one if he had won him at the battle of Zama to which he of course answers himself.Best regards,
Dean.

Dean hailYour passage is pretty well known,,, If it is fiction,,, I would argue indeed Hannibal was a fantastic general and winner of battles.I have always maitained thats all Hannibal was,, He couldn't consolidate and use such victories.Im sure were Alexander in Hannibals sheos following each victory against the Romans he would have used the victories and cosolidated,Could I be so bold as to say if Alexander scored the utter defeat of Romes largest army up until that date Canae Alexander would never have allowed them to regroup and come at him again,,, I am also sure once Alexander achieved a significant defeat against a Roman army on Italian soil Im sure he would have gone straight for Rome all the time protecting his supply routes. As an overall commander Hannibal comes not close to Alexander who not only won battles but used them for the long term victory.Kenny

Hi Dean
The full quote from Livy:LIVY, The History of Rome. XXXV. 14. 5-11

Owing to illness Sulpicius stopped at Pergamum, whilst Villius went on to Ephesus, as he heard that the king had commenced hostilities in Pisidia. He made a short stay there, and as Hannibal happened to be there at the time he made a point of paying frequent visits to him in order to ascertain his future plans and if possible remove any apprehension from his mind as to danger threatening him from Rome. Nothing else was discussed in these interviews, but they had one result, which though really undesigned might have been deliberately aimed at, for they lowered Hannibal's authority with the king and cast suspicion upon all that he said or did. Claudius, following Acilius who wrote in Greek, says that Publius Scipio Africanus was one of the commissioners, and that he had conversations with Hannibal. One of these he reports. Africanus asked Hannibal whom he considered to be the greatest commander, and the reply was, "Alexander of Macedon, for with a small force he routed innumerable armies and traversed the most distant shores of the world which no man ever hoped to visit." Africanus then asked him whom he would put second, and Hannibal replied, "Pyrrhus; he was the first who taught how to lay out a camp, and moreover no one ever showed more cleverness in the choice of positions and the disposition of troops. He possessed, too, the art of winning popularity to such an extent that the nations of Italy preferred the rule of a foreign king to that of the Roman people who had so long held the foremost place in that country." On Scipio's again asking him whom he regarded as the third, Hannibal, without any hesitation, replied, "Myself." Scipio smiled and asked, "What would you say if you had vanquished me?" "In that case," replied Hannibal, "I should say that I surpassed Alexander and Pyrrhus, and all other commanders in the world." Scipio was delighted with the turn which the speaker had with true Carthaginian adroitness given to his answer, and the unexpected flattery it conveyed, because Hannibal had set him apart from the ordinary run of military captains as an incomparable commander.

:-)Linda AnnPS. Hello Kenny - we posted at the same time.