As well as being a military genius, Hannibal had a great personality which is why people believe he was such a great man. Hannibal was very persuasive, and it is said that he could convince any man to fight for him. Hannibal was a very serious man. Hannibal did not drink, nor did he sleep with prostitutes. Perhaps, this quality is what made Hannibal so successful.
By the time he was eighteen, Hannibal already had his own army and was a general under his brother-in-law Hasdrubal. Hasdrubal tried to lead Carthage in the same way as his predecessor, Hamiclar, had. Hasdrubal lacked the confidence and heart that the Senate wished for. This is what prompted the Senate to select Hannibal as their new leader. In his mid-twenties, Hannibal commanded approximately 100,000 men. Hannibal had already won a number of battles, including the Battle of Saguntum. This battle caused the Second Punic War.