Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus (d. 211 BC) was a Roman general and statesman.

His father was Lucius Cornelius Scipio (Lucius Cornelius L.f. Scipio), son of the patrician censor of 280 (consul in 296). His younger brother was Publius Cornelius Scipio, father of the most famous Scipio - Scipio Africanus. Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvius served as consul in 222 BC, his co-consul being Marcus Claudius Marcellus, in the first of his five consulships. Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio was nicknamed Calvus to distinguish him from his uncle, another Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio nicknamed Asina (or donkey), who had been twice consul during the First Punic War.

Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvis fought in the Second Punic War in Iberia (Hispania), starting with a victory in the Battle of Cissa in 218 BC until he was killed in the Battle of the Upper Baetis in 211 BC shortly after the similar death of his younger brother. Both Scipios were capable commanders, both were consuls, and both were killed in Spain after their armies had separated.

[edit] Descendants

His son was Publius Cornelius Scipio Nasica, consul in 191 BC, the first Scipio Nasica (nicknamed Nasica for his pointed nose), who founded the Nasica branch of the Scipiades. Scipio Nasica's son, another Scipio Nasica (nicknamed Corculum, with his full name being Publius Cornelius P.f. G.n. Scipio Nasica Corculum), married his second cousin Cornelia Africana Major, the eldest daughter of Scipio Africanus and thus united the two lines. Their descendants in the male line continued until at least 46 BC, in the person of Metellus Scipio (adopted into the Caecilii Metelli family).

See also: Scipio-Paullus-Gracchus family tree


Preceded by
Gaius Flaminius and Publius Furius Philus
Consul of the Roman Republic
with Marcus Claudius M.f. Marcellus
222 BC
Succeeded by
Publius Cornelius Scipio Asina and Marcus Minucius Rufus and Marcus Aemilius Lepidus