SCIPIO, .]MILIANUS AFRICANUS (THE YOUNGER), PUBLIUS CORNELIUS, conqueror of Carthage; born about B. c. 185. He was the youngest son of lEmil ius Paulus, and the adopted son of Pub lius Scipio, son of Africanus the elder. In his youth he had the advantage of the instructions and friendship of Polybius, who, exiled from Greece, was permitted to live in the house of lEmilius Paulus. He was an industrious student of litera ture. He began his military service in Spain in 151; gained great reputation soon after in Africa, in the third Punic War; and in 147, though not of fit age, was chosen consul. The next year, ac companied by Polybius and C. Lzelius, he went to Africa, and at once commenced the siege of Carthage, which was heroi cally defended. It was entered by the Ro mans in the spring of 146; desperate fighting took place from street to street, and a disastrous fire raged for days. Scipio, saddened by the horrors, forebod ed a like fate for Rome. By order of the
Senate the wall and houses were totally destroyed, and a curse pronounced against whoever should rebuild the city.
Scipio had a magnificent triumph on his return. He led a simple and frugal life, and during his censorship, 142-141, tried to effect reforms in the manner of his countrymen, but without success. In 134 he was again consul, with Spain for his province; and his great achievement there was the siege and capture of Numantia, for which he had the surname Numanti nus. His marriage with Sempronia, sis ter of the Gracchi, was not a happy one. By his bold resistance to the proposed reforms he lost the favor of the popular party; and at last, in 129, he was found dead in his bed. Suspicion of murder fell chiefly on Carbo, a rash advocate of Agrarian reforms.