Quote Originally Posted by Strategy
Caesar was defeated both at Gergovia and Dyrrhachium, which definitely classify as "beatings". His first expedition to Britain can also arguably be considered a failure.

Scipio Africanus the Elder laid the foundation for the Roman empire, fought one of the best generals of the ancient world, and was never defeated in battle.

His impact on Roman folklore was so powerful that more than a 100 years after his death, Caesar had to think off a stratagem to keep his soldiers from being demoralized during the fighting against Scipio's distant descendant in Africa.

Julius Caesar - A biography
Scipio Africanus - A biography
1. in the bottom line caesar took gergovia so what are we talking about
2. dyrrahachium was just a prolog for farsalus and we all know what happened there
3. a first ever expedition to britania and you call it a failure , caesar achieved exactly what he wants - to cut off the supply line from britania to gaul

when we talk about loosing a battle we should look at the outcome - crassus lost it in 53 bc , varus in 9 ad , but caesar always managed to get out of it with the upper hand

i think that scipio is one of the 3 great roman republicans ever (like momsen)
but we should remember that he beaten hanibaal 17 years after his italian expedition , in this 17 years the punics lost everything they had (italy , hispania , sicily most of africa and so on)
hanibaal of 201 is not hanibaal of 218 , wars are not football matchs (hanibaal vs scipio ets) to say that scipio won the second punic war is to ignore the achievements of fabius , marcelus and scipio own father and uncle
history ia not so simple