the great Scipio Africanus. This
young man had proved himself the only able soldier in the war. The army
adored him. Though too young for the consulship, he was elected to that
high office, and in 147 B.C. sailed for Carthage.

The new commander found the army disorganized, and immediately restored
strict discipline to its ranks. The suburb of Megara, from which the
people of the city obtained their chief supply of fresh provisions, was
quickly taken. Want of food began to be felt. The isthmus which
connected the city with the mainland was strongly occupied, and
land-supplies were thus cut off. The fleet blockaded the harbor, but, as
vessels still made their way in, Scipio determined to build an
embankment across the harbor's mouth.

This was a work of great labor, and slowly proceeded. By the time it was
done the Carthaginians had cut a new channel from their harbor to the
sea, and Scipio had the mortification to see a newly-built fleet of
fifty ships sail out through this fresh passage. On the third day a
naval battle took place, in which the greater part of the new fleet was
destroyed.

Another winter came and went. It was not until the spring of 146 B.C.
that the Romans succeeded in forcing their way into the city, and their
legions bivouacked in the Forum of Carthage.

But Carthage was not yet taken. Its death-struggle was to be a
desperate one. The streets leading from the Forum towards the Citadel
were all strongly barricaded, and the houses, six stories in height,
occupied by armed men. For three days a war of desperation was waged in
the streets. The Romans had to take the first houses of each street by
assault, and then force their way forward by breaking from house to
house. The cross streets were passed on bridges of planks.

Thus they slowly advanced till the wall of Bosra--the high ground of the
Citadel--was reached. Behind them the city was in flames. For six days
and nights it burned, destroying the wealth and works of years. When the
fire declined passages were cleared through the ruins for the army to
advance.

Scipio, who had scarcely slept night or day during the assault, now lay
down for a short repose, on an eminence from which could be seen the
Temple of Esculapius, whose gilded roof glittered on the highest point
of the hill of Bosra. He was aroused to receive an offer from the
garrison to surrender if their lives were spared. Scipio consented to
spare all but Roman deserters, and from th