Ancient commanders: All you need to know about them

Ancient military leaders led thousands of troops into combat to defeat the enemy. Their grandiose war speeches, many of which are still remembered today, motivated hundreds of troops on the battlefield. Ancient warfare was not at all like modern combat. In chief, armies depended on their sheer numbers and might to win battles, although certain ancient military leaders developed strategy and tactics that are still praised by many historians.

In this article, we are talking about this topic. So, keep reading to know more about it.

Ancient commanders military

Ancient commanders Alexander the Great

He is one of the world’s greatest military chiefs. He was the son of King Philip II. Then, he grew up under his father’s eyes. He was very fearless from an early age. So, he was brave enough to control a wild and reckless horse at the age of 12. As a prince, he got his study from the famous Greek philosopher. His master seeded the seed of inquiry, and his passion for knowledge grew from there. He was not only a genius. But he was also smart in many streams.

Then, at the age of 20, an enemy killed his father. So, he seized the realm at that age, pledging to follow in his father’s footsteps. As the son of a great king, he carried on his father’s legacy by beating the Persian realm. Following many more great military wins, he went on to build the largest realm in the world.

Ancient commanders Scipio Africanus

He was a Roman chief and later consul. Also, he is one of history’s finest chiefs and military planners.

Ancient commanders Khalid ibn al-Walid

He was an Arab army head and ally of Muhammad. So, he is popular for his army prowess and tactics. Muhammad, Abu Bakr and Umar set him, to act some army wars, mainly during the Muslim routing of Persia and the Levant.

Ancient commanders Subutai

He was a chief who served as Genghis Khan’s and Gedei Khan’s principal army planner. He is popular for his army uses in Central Asia, Eastern EU, and Central EU.

Ancient commanders Tamerlane

He was a bad name Turco-Mongol person taking over. He was the first ruler of the Timurid line of rulers as the builder of the Timurid Empire in Persia and Central Asia. Having a bad name for putting 17 million people to death during his time as king. Babur and his family set up the Mughal realm in India.

Ancient commanders Ahmose I

After defeating the Hyksos and ordering a top siege into their main town Avaris, he set up the 18th bloodline and the New realm of Egypt. Then, he also ran for office in Nubia and the Levant.

Ancient commanders Thutmose I and III

He was the Pharaoh of Egypt’s 18th Dynasty. Thutmose I was the first Egyptian king to cross the Euphrates River. He campaigned in Nubia as well. Then, Thutmose III was the 18th Dynasty’s pharaoh. He seized 350 cities without fighting a single combat.

Ancient commanders Seti

He was the second pharaoh of Egypt’s 19th Dynasty. So, he successfully ran war in Nubia, Libya, and the Levant. So, he also took Kadesh and Egyptian power over it, which had been lost since Akhenaten’s reign.

Ancient commanders Ramesses II

He was one of Egypt’s greatest pharaohs. He fought sea fights against pirates as well as land warfare against the Canaanites and the Hittite realm. After a stretched out opposite position, Ramesses did business for the oldest peace agreement between nations in history with the Hittites.

Ancient commanders Tariq ibn Ziyad

He was a Berber Muslim chief. Then, he ordered the attack of Islamic Umayyads in Hispania between 711 and 718 AD. Led the key Battle of Guadalete. He is the inspiration for the name Gibraltar.

Ancient commanders Narses

He was an ethnic Armenian. Also, he was one of the great chiefs in the service of Byzantine Emperor Justinian I during the Roman reconquest during Justinian’s reign, where he succeeded in recapturing Rome from the Ostrogoths. He is the last Roman successful chief in Rome.

Ancient commanders greek

Pericles

He was a well-known Greek politician. He lived from 495 to 429 BC and was born in Athens. So, he was also a well-known Athenian chief, orator, statesman, and patron of the arts. According to historians, Pericles reigned during the Golden Age of Athens or the Pericles Era.

Pericles promoted the arts, philosophy, literature, and freedom of speech during his reign. Citizens were free to express themselves and pursue any type of education. That is why, throughout his reign and influence, Athens attracted the world’s best artists, playwrights, scientists, poets, architects, sculptors, and philosophers. Famous and acclaimed playwrights such as Euripides, Sophocles, Aeschylus, and Aristophanes lived in Athens and set up the modern-day theater that we enjoy today.

Zeno of Elea, Protagoras, and Anaxagoras were among the famous philosophers who lived in Athens. They were also good buddies of Pericles. Art was extremely important at the period, which is why sculptors like Myron and Phidias were in Athens making magnificent marble and sandstone statues. During this time, Athens was also home to Socrates, the “Father of Western Philosophy.”

Pericles’ reign also saw the creation of the magnificent Parthenon, for which Athens is famed today. His death signaled the end of Athens’ golden period, since there was no one of his quality to carry on his legacy.

Leonidas

Historians don’t know much about this brave Spartan king, but during the conflict between Sparta and the Persians, he was without a doubt the most heroic ruler Greece has ever seen. Leonidas was born in 540 BC and died in 480 BC, according to legend.

The bravery displayed by Leonidas during the Battle of Thermophile against the Persian monarch, Xerxes, in the summer of 480 BC is still remembered. The Persian monarch had already conquered northern Greece and was on his way south, but Leonidas heroically held his position despite the fact that his army of only 4,000 troops was no match for the 80,000-strong Persian force. They fought till the end. In Leonidas’ hometown of Sparta, a monument commemorates his valor.

Draco

He was a powerful person in Greece. Also, he is still popular across the world for his legal codes and strict rules.Also, people know nothing about his early life, the written data about his rules lives. His laws were not so good. They benefited only the rich classes. He showed his rules publicly on wooden tablets and kept them on public display for all to read. Before Draco, it was not common practice. Because they kept laws secret between the elite and the rulers.

His laws on the poor were very strict; For case, he gave the death penalty for stealing vegetables. If a common man gives money to a nobleman. Then, the elite can keep the common people in slavery until the obligation is paid. The law of his murder still remains, but people are uncertain about the real language. In this rule, a killer must go into exile and may face the death penalty if the family members of the victim’s agree. His death is still a mystery for people.

Cimon

Cimon was a 449 BC Athenian chief and statement. Miltiades was his father. He fought alongside Aristides and dispatched a fleet to save the Asian Greek towns from Persian invasion. He invaded Asia Minor during his reign and defeated Persian sea and land armies in 486 BC. After Aristide’s death, he succeeded Themistocles as the main statesman of the aristocratic and pro-Spartan party. He was put into exile later in his life, according to historians, and was recalled in 451 BC to sign a peace pact with Sparta.

Cleopatra

She was not only gorgeous. But she was also one of Greece’s and Egypt’s most powerful and cruel rulers. During the Hellenistic period of ancient Greece, her reign succeeded that of Alexander the Great. She ascended to the realm following the death of her husband. He killed his two other siblings to prevent them from competing for the realm. Then, he married two of his siblings to protect the crown for himself and his son. She was one of ancient Greece’s most smart, astute, strong, and gifted leaders. As a woman in ancient Greece’s male-dominated culture, she was only able to preserve the throne by severe measures and cunning control.

Ancient commanders female

Artemisia

Artemisia was the 5th century BCE Queen of Halicarnassus, a realm that survives in modern-day Turkey, and was named after the Goddess of the Hunt (Artemis). She was most remembered, however, as a naval chief and ally of Xerxes, King of Persia, during his invasion of the Greek city-states. (As in the action film 300: Rise of an Empire.)

She made history at the Battle of Salamis, when the fleet she led was considered the greatest against the Greeks. Herodotus, a Greek historian, spoke of her exploits on the sea’s battlefield, portraying her as a decisive and immensely cunning strategist. This featured a harsh sense of survival.

With a Greek warship approaching, Artemisia purposefully drove into another Persian vessel to fool the Greeks into thinking she was one of them. It was successful. The Greeks abandoned her. The Persian ship went down. From the beach, Xerxes watched the incident and assumed Artemisia had sunk a Greek foe rather than one of his own.

Despite this, her death was commemorated in a misogynistic mythology rather than a heroic fight. Artemisia is reported to have had a strong crush on a man who disregarded her to his disadvantage. She blinded him in his sleep because she was blinded by love. Despite his disfigurement, her love for him remained unabated. To heal herself, she decided to jump from a high cliff in Leucas, Greece, which was said to destroy the links of love. Instead, it shattered Artemisia’s neck. She is rumored to be buried nearby.

Boudicca

Boudicca was a queen as the wife of the ruler of the Celtic tribe Iceni, but it was widowhood that transformed her into a warrior. The testament of her husband Prasutagus stipulated that his realm be divided equally between his daughters and his ally, the Roman emperor. However, Rome only acknowledged the right of a son to inherit. So, after Prasutagus’ death, Rome not only invaded, but also tortured and raped Boudicca’s daughters. This would not be tolerated.

Around 60 A.D., Boudicca called on her tribe and others to get together and drive Rome out of their territory. Boudica demolished the Roman Capital of Britain, Camulodunum, with 100,000 men under her command (modern-day Colchester). She rode her forces into Londinium (London) and Verulamium (St. Albans), demolishing towns and slaying 70,000 to 80,000 people. Her triumphs pushed Emperor Nero to contemplate withdrawing altogether from Britain. A Roman defeat of Boudicca’s army, however, changed the tide. What happened to her following this loss is unknown. Because there is no record of her capture, it is assumed she died of disease or suicide.

Teuta

Teuta ruled the Ardiaei tribe in Illyria in the late third century BC. When a Roman envoy came to her court in 230 BC to resolve concerns about Illyrian development along the Adriatic coast, she was serving as regent for her baby stepson.

During the discussion, however, one of the Roman delegates became enraged and began yelling at the Illyrian queen. Teuta, enraged by the outburst, had the young diplomat slain. The incident ignited the First Illyrian War between Rome and Teuta’s Illyria. By 228 BC, Rome had triumphed, and Teuta was exiled from her birthplace.

Zenobia

Zenobia, Queen of Syria’s Palmyrene Empire from 267 AD, captured Egypt from the Romans in barely two years. Her dominion lasted just a few years longer, when the Roman Emperor Aurelian destroyed her in 271, returning her to Rome, where she either died soon after or married a Roman governor and enjoyed a life of luxury as a well-known philosopher, socialite, and matron, depending on whose narrative you believe. Zenobia, dubbed the “Warrior Queen,” was well educated and multilingual. She was renowned for being “manly,” riding, drinking, and hunting with her officers.

Ancient commanders Roman

Scipio

Scipio’s command of the Roman armies in Spain at an early age – he was just 25 years old when he was commissioned by Rome to defeat the Carthaginians and their leader, Hannibal. At this time, the latter was stationed in Italy, where he had set up an almost impenetrable defense, so Scipio attacked Hannibal’s base in Spain, despite a previous failed attempt that had seen both of the Roman chiefs in charge killed. Scipio, however, was successful; he captured the Carthaginian headquarters in Cartagena in 209BC and, a year later, captured Hannibal’s brother, Hasdrubal, by disguising the strength of his forces.

Sulla

Despite being born into poverty, Sulla rose through the ranks of the Roman army and played a critical role in the Roman victory in the Jugurthine War. Jugurtha, the Numidians’ ruler, had broken Roman law by partitioning Numidia among his royal family. In retaliation, Rome defeated the leader and drove him into exile in Mauritania. Sulla forged an agreement with King Bocchus of Mauretania to have Jugurtha given up to the Romans, bringing the conflict to a bloodless conclusion. The Senate praised Sulla. Following his exploits as chief during the Social War of 91-88 BCE, he fought alongside Marius against the Cimbri and Teutons invaders before taking up political offices, notably that of Consul.

Sulla was the first chief to march on Rome in reaction to Marius successfully deposing him. Despite the refusal of some of his chiefs to accompany him, he was able to drive Marius from the city, but Marius would later return and reclaim control while Sulla was on a war in Asia. Sulla marched on Rome for the second time in 82 BCE, and his success resulted in the Senate electing him Dictator, granting him near-limitless authority.

Nero

Drusus, one of Rome’s best chiefs, died a month after falling from his horse while attempting to march into Germany. He was only 29 years old. Drusus, the brother of Tiberius, who went on to become Emperor, was rumored to be the son of Emperor Augustus, however his father was officially named as Tiberius Claudius Nero. Drusus fostered this rumor since it put him in direct lineage to Augustus.

Some frequently asked questions

Who is the greatest commander in history?

Napoleon has the number one position. Napoleon is not even near to the normal distribution curve formed by the data for these 6,000-plus chiefs. He has a WAR score of more than 16 after 43 bouts, which well exceeds the competition. There is no doubt about it: Napoleon is the greatest tactical chief of all time, and the math backs it up.

Who was the greatest ancient leader?

Who is the undefeated commander in history?

Khalid is the only army leader in history to have fought more than 100 undefeatable engagements and one of the greatest military leaders of all time.

Who is the most famous chief?

George S. Patton, arguably the most renowned chief after George Washington, is the epitome of what many Americans believe a chief should be.

Who was the best warrior in history?

What was the most brutal army in history?

Over a few hundred years, the Roman Army notably conquered the Western world. The Roman Army’s edge was tenacity, its capacity to fight again and again even when completely defeated. The Romans demonstrated this during the Punic Wars, when, despite a lack of expertise and resources, they were able to beat the Carthaginians first by waiting them out and later by employing surprise tactics (by landing an army at Carthage itself).

Who never lost a battle in world history?

During his 20-year military career, no one defeated Peshwa Bajirao I in combat and always celebrated victory. He is one of just three chiefs in history who have never lost a battle.

Who was Draco?

Who was the famous female commander in History?

Who are the most feared warriors ever?

Genghis Khan was able to acquire and rule a large empire that Rome could not conquer in 200 years in just 20 years. He accomplished this by murdering as many people as he could. The Mongols led by Khan stormed across China, modern-day Iran and Iraq, the Caucasus Mountains, and Russia. It was a clear choice: submit to the Mongols or perish attempting to protect yourself. 40 million individuals have done the latter.