Cornelius Scipio, the hero of the poem, received the agnomen (nickname) of Africanus for defeating Hannibal and the Carthaginians.

Therefore, Fabius calculated that the way to defeat Hannibal was to avoid engaging with him in pitched battles, so as to deprive him of victories.

Roman commanders gave up trying to defeat Hannibal, the Carthaginian general, by direct combat as he ravaged Italy.

He was a relative of Scipio Africanus, the Roman general who defeated Hannibal.

He was determined to defeat Hannibal.

Varro, who was in command on the first day, was a man of reckless and hubristic nature, and was determined to defeat Hannibal.

The Romans utilized the attritional strategy Fabius had taught them, and which, they finally realized, were the only feasible means of defeating Hannibal.

Having failed to defeat Hannibal or drive him from Italy, the Romans changed strategy and decided to attack Carthage, forcing the Carthaginians to recall Hannibal.

He was best known for defeating Hannibal of Carthage.

It is not clear when Torquatus died, but he was probably not living in 202 BC when Scipio defeated Hannibal at Zama.