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Hannibal Barca

Stepping on a Roman standard.

 

While on an envoy to Ephesus circa 193 BC, Scipio Africanus asked Hannibal Barca whom he considered the greatest generals. Hannibal named Alexander of Macedonia, then Phyrrus of Epirus, and finally, himself.

 

Scipio laughed, asking him where he would rank himself had Scipio not defeated him.

 

Hannibal responded: "In that case, I would have put myself before Alexander"

 

[...this is all according to Livy in Ab Urbe Condita. And we know how impartial that man was]

 

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Uploaded on August 17, 2014
Taken on May 29, 2013