Why Is Hannibal Successful

Most great generals are only called so because they have won a war. However, some generals are great despite the battles they have lost; the generals of the ancient world are no exception. Hannibal is a prime example of a general who is remembered and honored for his cunning, creativity, and perseverance despite the losses he sustained. Hannibal proved to be one of history’s greatest generals with his superior battle strategies and his ability to overcome enormous obstacles as exhibited in the Second Punic War.
From the very beginning of the war, Hannibal proved that he would not let preconceived beliefs stop him from achieving his goal. Hannibal’s insane plan included traveling through the Alps but, his first obstacle was crossing the Rhone river. The river had a width of 800 yards and a tribe of natives on the other side ready for attack. Military strategies of the time would have Hannibal try and find another place to cross; Hannibal decided not to follow them (Garthwaite). With some help from his allies, Hannibal was able to gather enough boats to hold his army but, they would be …show more content…
In order to secure the alliance of the Gauls, Hannibal agreed to fight Scipio and his army. The battle became an evenly matched skirmish for which Hannibal’s saving grace was his strength in numbers (Battle of Ticinus). With no organized fashion to the fight, Hannibal’s larger troops pulled out in the end after Scipio retreated. Hannibal’s offer to finished the battle was rejected by Scipio, losing him some of his army. The show of weakness by the Romans encouraged more allies to join Hannibal including the Gauls and over 2,000 of Scipio's own men. The new allies killed the Romans nearby as they changed alliances (Battle of Ticinus). Hannibal's show of courage converted more people to his side, giving him more help for future battles against Rome. His victory gave hope to his army that they might be able to defeat the