Scipio Africanus’ triumph and tragedy was to have been, as Dexter Hoyos puts it, “the greatest general in Roman history,” renowned for never having lost in battle. Invincibility brought Scipio (ca.

The ancient Greek essayist Plutarch used “parallel lives” to describe his collection of biographical sketches, in which he paired illustrious Greeks with Romans who lived, in most cases, centuries ...

When first given this book to review, I thought that Plutarch and his compelling series of associated Greek and Roman biographies was the inspiration for its treatment. Although the author also had ...