At that time, Marcellus was the greatest general of the Republic, the most esteemed, the one who commanded the unconditional respect of all. The historian Plutarch says: "Hannibal had very little respect for all the other commanders, but when he learned of Marcellus' death, he went in person to the place, stopped by the corpse and observed for a long time the strength and beauty of that body; he did not let slip a single disrespectful word and did not show any joy, as one should do when he has just eliminated a strong and dangerous enemy. Instead, struck by the strangeness of that death, he took off the consul's ring and after having composed the corpse with the ornament that suited it, wrapped it in a decent robe and had it burned. Then he collected the remains in a silver urn on which he had placed a gold crown and sent it to his son".

Thus Hannibal Barca, the greatest leader of his time, wanted to honor Marcus Claudius Marcellus, his bitter enemy.