Hannibal's First Choice Hello Hannibal! You are quite the impetuous young
man, aren't you? The Carthaginian Senate is extremely nervous about
having you in Spain (what the Romans call Iberia), since they fear that
it will cause two major problems. First, they fear that folks will
come to assume that the supreme command of Carthaginian forces is an hereditary
office, leading to some sort of monarchy or empire that would radically
change the Carthaginian way of life. The military is always a threat
to the political stability of a nation, because it is the only internal
entity with the power to take control of the political process. The
Senate, and especially Hanno, does not wish you to become so popular and
so powerful that you might try to take control of all Carthage. The second threat in all this is
that you may provoke war with Rome. If this happens, it will be assumed
that you have done so in order to advance your own political aspirations.
The Senate firmly believes that even an uneasy peace with Rome is preferable
to what would surely be a devastating war between the two cities.
Since you are known to be a feisty sort, it is considered almost inevitable
that you will try to battle the Romans if you are ever left to your own
devices. The only comfort the Senate has is that Hasdrubal is considered
a sensible man, who will keep a tight rein on you. Arriving on the scene, you are
faced with your first major choice. You no doubt wish to prove to
the men of the army that you are indeed your father's son, deserving of
the same respect they accorded him. How to go about this is, of course,
debatable. What will you do? One choice is to step right into
his vacated position, and show the men what you can do. As the son
of the supreme commander, you could move into his big tent, dress in his
fine clothes, and start issuing commands. By impressing the men with
your ability to take command of a situation, you could show them that you
have inherited your father's ability to make decisions quickly. Your other choice is to take a
more subtle approach. You could insist on working at hard labor,
living modestly, and sleeping under the stars on the ground, where your
men do. It would be a lot different than the luxury and comfort of
Carthage, and rather unusual for a man of your position.