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Scipio Africanus

Historical Figure
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Roman general who defeated Hannibal at Zama, ending the Second Punic War

Detailed Definition
Publius Cornelius Scipio earned his title by conquering Carthage’s homeland. Later exiled, he embodied virtuous service. Poets invoke him as the strategic genius, symbol of Roman resilience, and the general who wins peace through decisive, magnanimous victory.
Example
Example in poetry:
Scipio Africanus appears in Roman poetry as the conqueror of Hannibal and savior of Rome, embodying virtus and clementia; Poets use Scipio to contrast republican virtue with imperial decadence; His reported vision of the cosmos in Cicero’s “Dream of Scipio” inspires meditative poems on mortality and the soul’s journey; Modern poets may reference Scipio to explore the tension between military glory and philosophical wisdom; His refusal of a triumph after the fall of Carthage is cited as an example of humility in victory; Scipio serves as a model of the citizen-soldier who places duty above personal ambition.
Additional Notes
Scipio Africanus (236–183 BCE), Roman general who defeated Hannibal at Zama, embodying clemency and strategic genius; in poetry, Scipio symbolizes magnanimous victory, republican virtue, or the ideal general—contrasted with later imperial excess; referenced in Petrarch (who admired him) and neoclassical verse on restraint, honor, and the ethics of conquest.
Also Known As
Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus
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