Livy: Periochae 26-27

Hannibal ad tertium lapidem ab urbe Roma super Anienem castra posuit. Ipse cum duobus milibus equitum usque ad ipsam Capenam portam, ut situm urbis exploraret, obequitavit. Et cum per triduum in aciem utrimque exercitus omnis descendisset, certamen tempestas diremit; nam cum in castra redisset, statim serenitas erat.

Capua capta est a Q. Fulvio et Appio Claudio coss. Principes Campanorum veneno sibi mortem consciverunt. Cum senatus Campanorum deligatus esset ad palos ut securi feriretur, litteras a senatu missas Q. Fulvius consul, quibus iubebatur parcere, antequam legeret, in sinu posuit et lege agi iussit et supplicium peregit.

Cum comitiis apud populum quaereretur cui mandaretur Hispaniarum imperium, nullo id volente suscipere, P. Scipio (P. filius eius qui in Hispania ceciderat) professus est se iturum; et suffragio populi consensuque omnium missus Novam Carthaginem expugnavit, cum haberet annos XXIIII videreturque divina stirpe, quia et ipse, postquam togam acceperat, cotidie in Capitolio erat et in cubiculo matris eius anguis saepe videbatur.

Res praeterea gestas in Sicilia continet et amicitiam cum Aetolis iunctam bellumque gestum adversus Acarnanas et Philippum, Macedoniae regem.

[211 BCE] Hannibal built his camp at the third milestone from Rome, near the Anio. He personally came up to the Porta Capena [=Collina] with two thousand cavalry, to inspect the city's lie. And when for three days the battle lines on both sides had been ready, a tempest broke off the engagement; when Hannibal had returned to his camp, tranquility returned.

Capua was captured by consuls Quintus Fulvius and Appius Claudius. The Campanian leaders killed themselves with poison. When the Campanian senators had been tied to the stakes to be decapitated, consul Quintus Fulvius received a letter from the Senate, in which he was ordered to be merciful, but he kept it in the fold [of his toga], and before he had read it, he had already ordered that the law was to be applied, and the executions had already taken place.

When at the elections the people were asked who wanted the Spanish command and nobody dared to accept it, Publius [Cornelius] Scipio (the son of the Publius who had fallen in Hispania), announced that he would go; and having been sent by the people's vote and general agreement, he captured New Carthage, and although he was only twenty-four, he appeared to be a son of a god, because from the moment he had accepted the toga, he was every day in the [temple of Jupiter on the] Capitol, and often, a serpent had been seen in the bed room of his mother.

It [book 26] also contains accounts of the events on Sicily, [210] a treaty of friendship with the Aetolians, and war against the Acarnanians and king Philip[V] of Macedonia.

Cn. Fulvius procos. cum exercitu ab Hannibale ad Herdoneam caesus est. Meliore eventu ab Claudio Marcello cos. adversus eundem ad Numistronem pugnatum est. Inde Hannibal nocte recessit. Marcellus insecutus est et subinde cedentem pressit, donec confligeret. Priore pugna Hannibal superior, sequenti Marcellus.

Fabius Maximus pater cos. Tarentinos per proditionem recepit.

Claudius Marcellus T. Quintius Crispinus coss. speculandi causa progressi e castris insidiis ab Hannibale circumventi sunt. Marcellus occisus, Crispinus fugit.

Lustrum a censoribus conditum est. Censa sunt civium capita CXXXVII milia CVIII; ex quo numero apparuit quantum hominum tot proeliorum adversa fortuna populo R. abstulisset.

In Hispania ad Baeculam Scipio cum Hasdrubale et Hamilcare conflixit et vicit. Inter alia captum regalem puerum eximiae formae ad avunculum Masinissam cum donis dimisit.

Hasdrubal, qui cum exercitu novo Alpes transcenderat ut se Hannibali iungeret, cum milibus hominum LVI caesus est, capta V milia CCCC M. Livi cos. ductu, sed non minore opera Claudi Neronis cos., qui, cum Hannibali oppositus esset, relictis castris ita ut hostem falleret, cum electa manu profectus Hasdrubalem circumvenerat.

Res praeterea feliciter a P. Scipione in Hispania et a P. Sulpicio praetore adversus Philippum et Achaeos gestas continet.

Near Herdonea, proconsul Gnaeus Fulvius was defeated with his army by Hannibal. Consul [Marcus] Claudius Marcellus fought with more success against the same opponent at Numistro. Hannibal retreated under cover of the night. Marcellus pursued him, and inflicted damage upon the retreating army, until Hannibal engaged. In the first battle, Hannibal was superior, but Marcellus in the second.

[209] Benefiting from treachery, consul Fabius Maximus the Elder recovered Tarentum.

[208] When consuls [Marcus] Claudius Marcellus and Titus Quinctius Crispinus, on a reconnaissance mission, had advanced from their camp, they were surrounded by Hannibal in an ambush. Marcellus was killed, Crispinus escaped.

The censors celebrated the lustrum ceremony.  137,108 citizens were registered. From this number, it is clear how many members of the Roman people unfavorable Fortune had carried away in so many defeats.

[209] In Hispania, near Baecula, Scipio engaged and defeated Hasdrubal and Hamilcar. Among those who had been captured was an extraordinary beautiful boy of regal birth, who was sent to his uncle Massinissa, with other presents.

[207] Hasdrubal, who crossed the Alps with a new army to join Hannibal, was defeated with fifty-six thousand men, and five thousand four hundred were captured, under the command of consul Marcus Livius, but no less by consul Claudius Nero, who, when he opposed Hannibal, left his camp in such fashion that he deceived his enemy, set out with an elite force, and overpowered Hasdrubal.

It [book 27] also contains an account of the successful wars of Publius [Cornelius] Scipio in Hispania and praetor Publius Sulpicius against Philip [V of Macedonia] and the Achaeans.