Rome\'s most able general?

[Sardaukar]

Well..I have always liked "less popular" choises as best general, but I find it impossible to name one.

My personal favourite is Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa. His military prowess enabled Octavianus to become Augustus and he did not lose battles, even against quite accomplished commanders like Marcus Antonius or Sextus Pompeius. In sense, his exploits on battlefied had at least as much or more impact to Roman history than Caesar's, if we look at lasting effects.

Gaius Julius Caesar, well...everybody knows him..."Gallia est omnis divisa in partes tres", bane of every Latin student... :lol: Probably one of the best battlefield commanders Rome ever had..but his judgement *before* battles were sometimes suspect. His way of taking huge risks, even gambles, often put him and his army into extreme peril. That he always managed to save his bacon makes him probably among the best, if not best battlefield commander of ancient times, but not best general. After re-reading Adrian Goldsworthy's "Caesar", I tend to re-read J.F.C. Fuller's "Caesar: Man. Soldier and Tyrant", latter, while having lot of flawed assumptions, has some very astute (in my opinion) and not too complimental observations about Caesar's character as general. While I am great admirer of this great man, I'd not advocate him as best Roman general overall.

Quintus Sertorius is one of my favourites too..after all, he repeatedly humiliated Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus on battlefield in Spain. And his ability to fight both conventional and unconventional engagements makes him one of the most versatile commanders.

Scipio Africanus, Scipio Aemillianus, Marius, Sulla..and Lucius Licinius Lucullus, who was excellent general..and quite a character too... lol:

I don't really care who was greatest, I like to learn about them all.