Scipio fights his first set piece battle…

Scipio fights his first set piece battle later in 209 BCE, driving back Hasdrubal Barca from his position at Baecula on the upper Guadalquivir.

Fearing that the armies of Mago and Gisco will enter the field and surround his small army, Scipio's objective is, therefore, to quickly eliminate one of the armies to give him the luxury of dealing with the other two piecemeal.

The battle is decided by a determined Roman infantry charge up the center of the Carthaginian position.

Roman losses are uncertain but may have been considerable in light of an effort by the infantry to scale an elevation defended by Carthaginian light infantry.

Scipio then orchestrates a frontal attack by the rest of his infantry to draw out the remainder of the Carthaginian forces.

Hasdrubal has not noticed Scipio's hidden reserves of cavalry moving behind enemy lines, and a Roman cavalry charge creates a double envelopment on either flank led by cavalry commander Gaius Laelius and Scipio himself.

This breaks the back of Hasdrubal's army and routs his forces—an impressive feat for the young Roman versus the veteran Carthaginian general.

Despite the Roman victory, Hasdrubal manages to retreat with two thirds of his army intact.

Much historical criticism has been leveled Scipio’s inability to effectively pursue Hasdrubal, who will eventually cross the Alps only to be defeated by Gaius Claudius Nero at the Battle of the Metaurus.