The Truth in Lies? Scipio Africanus, Locri and the Easy Life in Sicily

In Livy’s portrayal of Scipio Africanus we might expect a conventional exemplum. However, Scipio’s exemplum is anything but uncomplicated. Livy shows Scipio outwardly as an exemplar of Roman conduct, but inwardly his character might be suspect. Scipio was implicated in the disgraceful events that took place at Locri, which his political enemies used to attack him and Livy recalls the criticism of his character in the Senate by Fabius, who demanded that his imperium be revoked. Moreover, Scipio, Fabius said, was living in Sicily a life of profligacy, debauched by Greek customs. The delegation sent to Sicily to investigate, however, found the situation nothing like what Fabius had claimed. Although things turned out well for Scipio, the criticisms, some of which, Livy writes, were valid while others were not true, inevitably raise questions about his character. In my paper I discuss how Livy presents Scipio as a complex fusion of virtue and vice.