Twenty-two centuries ago there lived a man named Hannibal, the son of
Hamilcar Barca a Carthaginian. Hamilcar was a general in the Carthaginian
military in the first Punic War. After the defeat of Carthage in the first
Punic War, Hamilcar made Hannibal swear "eternal enmity" to Rome.
In 228 b.c. Hasdrubal, Hannibal`s brother-in-law, succeeded Hamilcar and
became commander. This meant that not only was the leader of the military
but also the political leader as well. In 221 b.c. Hasdrubal was assassinated
and Hannibal became commander in Spain. Hannibal was only 25 years old
when he was put in command of the Carthaginian armies and the Carthaginian
government in Spain. Even at a young age he knew his responsibilities,
so he kept his father's plan of military conquest and his brother-in-law`s
policy of strengthening Carthaginian power by democracy. He married a Spanish
princess and took hostages from the surrounding tribes to ensure their
loyalty to him. As......
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