The exploits of the heroes of the ancient world still excite the imagination of descendants, and the names of the greatest commanders of antiquity are still heard. The battles they won remain classics of military art, and modern military leaders learn from their examples.
Pharaoh Ramses II, who ruled Egypt for more than 60 years, was not without reason mentioned in ancient Egyptian texts with the title “Victor”. He won many victories, the most important of which was over the Hittite kingdom, which had long been Egypt's main enemy.
Its most famous episode was the Battle of Kadesh, which involved several thousand chariots on both sides.
The battle went on with varying degrees of success. At first, success was on the side of the Hittites, who took the Egyptians by surprise. But the reserves arrived in time and turned the tide of the battle. The Hittites found themselves pressed against the Orontes River and suffered heavy losses during their hasty crossing. Thanks to this, Ramses was able to conclude a profitable peace with them.
In the wars of the Egyptians and the Hittites, chariots were one of the main striking forces. Sometimes knives were attached to their wheels, literally mowing down the enemy’s ranks. But when fleeing or losing control of the horses, this terrible weapon sometimes involuntarily turned against its own. The chariots of the Hittites were more powerful, and the warriors on them often fought with spears, while the more maneuverable chariots of the Egyptians had archers.
Cyrus the Great (530 BC)
When Cyrus II became the leader of the Persian tribes, the Persians were divided and were in vassal dependence on Media. By the end of Cyrus's reign, the Persian Achaemenid power extended from Greece and Egypt to India.
Cyrus treated the vanquished humanely, left the conquered areas substantial self-government, respected their religions, and, thanks to this, avoided serious uprisings in the conquered territories, and some opponents preferred submission to war on such lenient terms.
In the battle with the legendary Lydian king Croesus, Cyrus used an original military stratagem. In front of his army, he placed camels taken from the convoy, on which archers were sitting, firing at the enemy. The enemy's horses were frightened by unfamiliar animals and caused confusion in the ranks of the enemy army.
The personality of Cyrus is covered in numerous legends, in which it is difficult to distinguish truth from fiction. So, according to legend, he knew by sight and by name all the soldiers of his large army. After 29 years of reign, Cyrus died during another campaign of conquest.
Miltiades (550 BC – 489 BC)
The Athenian commander Miltiades became famous, first of all, for his victory in the legendary battle with the Persians at Marathon. The positions of the Greeks were such that their army blocked the path to Athens. The Persian commanders decided not to engage in a land battle, but to board ships, bypass the Greeks by sea and land near Athens.
Miltiades seized the moment when most of the Persian cavalry was already on the ships, and attacked the Persian infantry.
When the Persians came to their senses and launched a counteroffensive, the Greek troops deliberately retreated in the center and then surrounded the enemies. Despite the Persian superiority in numbers, the Greeks were victorious. After the battle, the Greek army made a 42-kilometer forced march to Athens and prevented the remaining Persians from landing near the city.
Despite the merits of Miltiades, after another unsuccessful military expedition against the island of Paros, where the commander himself was wounded, he was accused of “deceiving the people” and sentenced to a huge fine. Miltiades was unable to pay the fine, and was listed as an insolvent debtor who was prohibited from engaging in government activities, and soon died of his wounds.
Themistocles (524 BC – 459 BC)
Themistocles, the greatest Athenian naval commander, played a key role in the Greek victories over the Persians and the preservation of Greece's independence. When the Persian king Xerxes went to war against Greece, the city-states united in the face of a common enemy, and adopted Themistocles' plan for defense. The decisive naval battle took place off the island of Salamis. In its vicinity there are many narrow straits and, according to Themistocles, if it were possible to lure the Persian fleet into them, the enemy’s large numerical advantage would be neutralized. Frightened by the size of the Persian fleet, other Greek commanders were inclined to flee, but Themistocles, sending his messenger to the Persian camp, provoked them to immediately begin battle. The Greeks had no choice but to accept the battle. Themistocles' calculations were brilliantly justified: in the narrow straits, large and clumsy Persian ships turned out to be helpless in front of the more maneuverable Greek ones. The Persian fleet was defeated.
Themistocles' merits were soon forgotten. Political opponents expelled him from Athens, and then sentenced him to death in absentia, accusing him of treason.
Themistocles was forced to flee to his former enemies, to Persia. King Artaxerxes, the son of Xerxes, defeated by Themistocles, not only spared his longtime enemy, but also gave him several cities to rule. According to legend, Artaxerxes wanted Themistocles to participate in the war against the Greeks, and the commander, unable to refuse, but not wanting to harm his ungrateful homeland, took poison.
Epaminondas (418 BC – 362 BC)
The great Theban general Epaminondas spent much of his life fighting against the Spartans, who dominated mainland Greece at the time. At the Battle of Leuctra, he first defeated the Spartan army, which until then had been considered invincible in land combat. Epaminondas' victories contributed to the rise of Thebes, but aroused the fears of other Greek city-states, who united against them.
In his last battle at Mantinea, also against the Spartans, when victory was almost in the hands of the Thebans, Epaminondas was mortally wounded, and the army, confused without a commander, retreated.
Epaminondas is considered one of the greatest innovators in the art of war. It was he who first began to distribute forces unevenly along the front, concentrating the main forces in the direction of the decisive blow. This principle, called “oblique order tactics” by contemporaries, is still one of the fundamental principles in military science. Epaminondas was one of the first to actively use cavalry. The commander paid great attention to cultivating the fighting spirit of his warriors: he encouraged Theban youths to challenge young Spartans to sports competitions so that they would understand that these opponents could be defeated, not only in the palaestra, but also on the battlefield.
Phocion (398 BC – 318 BC)
Phocion was one of the most cautious and prudent Greek commanders and politicians, and in difficult times for Greece, these qualities turned out to be most in demand. He won a number of victories over the Macedonians, but subsequently, realizing that fragmented Greece was unable to resist the strong Macedonian army and believing that only Philip II could stop the Greek strife, he took a moderate position, which seemed treacherous to the famous orator Demosthenes and his supporters.
Thanks to the respect that Phocion enjoyed among the Macedonians, including Alexander the Great, he managed to achieve easy peace terms for the Athenians.
Phocion never sought power, but the Athenians elected him as a strategist 45 times, sometimes against his will. His last election ended tragically for him. After the Macedonians took the city of Piraeus, eighty-year-old Phocion was accused of treason and executed.
Philip of Macedon (382 BC – 336 BC)
Philip II, the Macedonian king, is best known as the father of Alexander the Great, but it was he who laid the foundation for his son’s future victories. Philip created a well-trained army with iron discipline, and with it he managed to conquer all of Greece. The decisive battle was the Battle of Chaeronea, as a result of which the united Greek troops were defeated, and Philip united Greece under his command.
Philip's main military innovation was the famous Macedonian phalanx, which his great son later used so skillfully.
The phalanx was a close formation of warriors armed with long spears, and the spears of subsequent rows were longer than those of the first. The bristling phalanx could successfully resist cavalry attacks. He often used various siege machines. However, being a cunning politician, he whenever possible preferred bribery to battle and said that “a donkey loaded with gold is capable of taking any fortress.” Many contemporaries considered this method of waging war, avoiding open battles, unworthy.
During his wars, Philip of Macedon lost an eye and received several severe wounds, as a result of one of which he remained lame. But he died as a result of an assassination attempt by one of the courtiers, outraged by the king’s unfair judicial decision. At the same time, many historians believe that the killer’s hand was directed by his political enemies.
Alexander the Great (356 BC – 323 BC)
Alexander the Great is probably the most legendary commander in history. Having ascended the throne at the age of twenty, in less than thirteen years he managed to conquer most of the lands known at that time and create a huge empire.
From childhood, Alexander the Great prepared himself for the hardships of military service, leading a harsh life that was not at all typical for a royal son. His main feature was the desire for fame. Because of this, he was even upset about his father’s victories, fearing that he would conquer everything himself, and there would be nothing left for his share.
According to legend, when his teacher, the great Aristotle, told the young man that other inhabited worlds could exist, Alexander exclaimed with bitterness: “But I don’t even own one yet!”
Having completed the conquest of Greece begun by his father, Alexander set off on an eastern campaign. In it, he defeated the Persian Empire, which had seemed invincible for a long time, conquered Egypt, reached India and was going to capture it too, but the exhausted army refused to continue the campaign, and Alexander was forced to return. In Babylon he became seriously ill (most likely from malaria) and died. After the death of Alexander, the empire fell apart, and a long-term war began between his generals, the diadochi, for the possession of its parts.
Alexander's most famous battle was the battle with the Persians at Gaugamela. The army of the Persian king Darius was an order of magnitude larger, but Alexander managed to break its front line with graceful maneuvers and delivered a decisive blow. Darius fled. This battle marked the end of the Achaemenid Empire.
Pyrrhus (318 BC – 272 BC)
Pyrrhus, king of the small state of Epirus in the Balkans, a distant relative of Alexander the Great, is considered one of the greatest generals in history, and Hannibal even ranked him first, above himself.
Even in his youth, Pyrrhus received combat training, participating in the wars of the Diadochi for the division of the inheritance of Alexander the Great. Initially, he supported one of the diadochi, but soon began to play his own game and, despite the relatively small forces of his army, almost became the king of Macedonia. But the main battles that made him famous were fought against Rome by Pyrrhus. Pyrrhus fought with both Carthage and Sparta.
Having defeated the Romans during the two-day battle of Ausculum and realizing that the losses were too great, Pyrrhus exclaimed: “Another such victory, and I will be left without an army!”
This is where the expression “Pyrrhic victory” comes from, meaning success that came at too great a cost.
The great commander was killed by a woman. During Pyrrhus's assault on the city of Argos, street fighting broke out. The women helped their defenders as best they could. A piece of tile thrown from the roof of one of them hit Pyrrhus in an unprotected place. He fell unconscious and was finished off or crushed by the crowd on the ground.
Fabius Maximus (203 BC)
Quintus Fabius Maximus was not at all a warlike man. In his youth, for his gentle character, he even received the nickname Ovikula (lamb). Nevertheless, he went down in history as a great commander, the winner of Hannibal. After crushing defeats from the Carthaginians, when the fate of Rome hung in the balance, it was Fabius Maximus that the Romans elected dictator for the sake of saving the fatherland.
For his actions at the head of the Roman army, Fabius Maximus received the nickname Cunctator (procrastinator). Avoiding, as far as possible, direct clashes with Hannibal's army, Fabius Maximus exhausted the enemy army and cut off its supply routes.
Many reproached Fabius Maxim for slowness and even treason, but he continued to stick to his line. As a result, Hannibal was forced to retreat. After this, Fabius Maximus stepped down from command, and other commanders took over the war with Carthage on enemy territory.
In 1812, Kutuzov used the tactics of Fabius Maximus in the war with Napoleon. George Washington acted similarly during the American War of Independence.
Hannibal (247 BC – 183 BC)
Hannibal, the Carthaginian general, is considered by many to be the greatest general of all time and is sometimes called the "father of strategy." When Hannibal was nine years old, he swore eternal hatred of Rome (hence the expression "Hannibal's oath"), and followed this in practice all his life.
At the age of 26, Hannibal led the Carthaginian troops in Spain, for which the Carthaginians were in a fierce struggle with Rome. After a series of military successes, he and his army made a difficult transition through the Pyrenees and, unexpectedly for the Romans, invaded Italy. His army included African fighting elephants, and this is one of the few cases when these animals were tamed and used in warfare.
Rapidly moving inland, Hannibal inflicted three severe defeats on the Romans: on the Trebbia River, at Lake Trasimene and at Cannae. The latter, in which the Roman troops were surrounded and destroyed, became a classic of military art.
Rome was on the verge of complete defeat, but Hannibal, who did not receive reinforcements in time, was forced to retreat and then completely leave Italy with his exhausted army. The commander said with bitterness that he was defeated not by Rome, but by the envious Carthaginian Senate. Already in Africa, Hannibal was defeated by Scipio. After defeat in the war with Rome, Hannibal was involved in politics for some time, but was soon forced to go into exile. In the East, he helped the enemies of Rome with military advice, and when the Romans demanded his extradition, Hannibal, in order not to fall into their hands, took poison.
Scipio Africanus (235 BC – 181 BC)
Publius Cornelius Scipio was only 24 years old when he led the Roman troops in Spain during the war with Carthage. Things were going so badly for the Romans there that there were no others willing to take the position. Taking advantage of the disunity of the Carthaginian troops, he inflicted sensitive blows on them in parts, and, in the end, Spain came under the control of Rome. During one of the battles, Scipio used a curious tactic. Before the battle, for several days in a row he withdrew the army, built in the same order, but did not start the battle. When the opponents got used to this, Scipio changed the location of his troops on the day of the battle, brought them out earlier than usual and launched a rapid attack. The enemy was defeated, and this battle became a turning point in the war, which could now be transferred to enemy territory.
Already in Africa, on the territory of Carthage, Scipio used military stratagem in one of the battles.
Having learned that the allies of the Carthaginians, the Numidians, were living in reed huts, he sent part of the army to set fire to these huts, and when the Carthaginians, attracted by the spectacle of the fire, lost their vigilance, another part of the army attacked them and inflicted a heavy defeat.
In the decisive battle of Zama, Scipio met Hannibal on the battlefield and won. The war is over.
Scipio was distinguished by his humane attitude towards the vanquished, and his generosity became a favorite theme for future artists.
Marius (158 BC – 86 BC)
Gaius Marius came from a humble Roman family; he achieved eminence thanks to his military talents. He acted very successfully in the war against the Numidian king Jugurtha, but he earned real glory in battles with the Germanic tribes. During this period, they became so strong that for Rome, weakened by numerous wars in different parts of the empire, their invasion became a real threat. There were significantly more Germans than Maria's legionnaires, but the Romans had order, better weapons and experience on their side. Thanks to the skillful actions of Mary, the strong tribes of the Teutons and Cimbri were practically destroyed. The commander was proclaimed “the savior of the fatherland” and “the third founder of Rome.”
The fame and influence of Marius were so great that Roman politicians, fearing his excessive rise, gradually pushed the commander out of business.
At the same time, the career of Sulla, a former subordinate of Marius who became his enemy, was going uphill. Both sides did not disdain any means, from slander to political assassinations. Their enmity eventually led to civil war. Expelled from Rome by Sulla, Mari wandered around the provinces for a long time and almost died, but managed to gather an army and take the city, where he remained until the end, pursuing Sulla’s supporters. After the death of Marius, his supporters did not last long in Rome. Returning Sulla destroyed the grave of his enemy and threw his remains into the river.
Sulla (138 BC – 78 BC)
The Roman commander Lucius Cornelius Sulla received the nickname Felix (happy). Indeed, luck accompanied this man all his life, both in military and political affairs.
Sulla began his military service during the Numidian War in North Africa under the command of Gaius Marius, his future implacable enemy. He conducted affairs so energetically and was so successful in battles and diplomacy that popular rumor attributed to him much of the credit for victory in the Numidian War. This made Maria jealous.
After successful military campaigns in Asia, Sulla was appointed commander in the war against the Pontic king Mithridates. However, after his departure, Marius ensured that Sulla was recalled and he was appointed commander.
Sulla, having secured the support of the army, returned, captured Rome and expelled Marius, starting a civil war. While Sulla was at war with Mithridates, Marius recaptured Rome. Sulla returned there after the death of his enemy and was elected permanent dictator. Having brutally dealt with the supporters of Marius, Sulla some time later resigned his dictatorial powers and remained a private citizen until the end of his life.
Crassus (115 BC – 51 BC)
Marcus Licinius Crassus was one of the richest Romans. However, he made most of his fortune during the dictatorship of Sulla, appropriating the confiscated property of his opponents. He achieved his high position under Sulla thanks to the fact that he distinguished himself in the civil war, fighting on his side.
After the death of Sulla, Crassus was appointed commander in the war against the rebel slaves of Spartacus.
Acting very energetically, unlike his predecessors, Crassus forced Spartacus to take a decisive battle and defeated him.
He treated the vanquished extremely cruelly: several thousand captive slaves were crucified along the Appian Way, and their bodies remained hanging there for many years.
Together with Julius Caesar and Pompey, Crassus became a member of the first triumvirate. These generals actually divided the Roman provinces among themselves. Crassus got Syria. He planned to expand his possessions and waged a war of conquest against the Parthian kingdom, but was unsuccessful. Crassus lost the battle of Carrhae, was treacherously captured during negotiations and brutally executed, having molten gold poured down his throat.
Spartacus (110 BC – 71 BC)
Spartacus, a Roman gladiator originally from Thrace, was the leader of the largest slave revolt. Despite the lack of command experience and relevant education, he became one of the greatest commanders in history.
When Spartacus and his comrades fled from the gladiator school, his detachment consisted of several dozen poorly armed people who took refuge on Vesuvius. The Romans blocked all the roads, but the rebels performed a legendary maneuver: they descended from a steep slope using ropes woven from grape vines and struck the enemies from the rear.
The Romans initially treated the runaway slaves with contempt, believing that their legions would easily defeat the rebels, and paid dearly for their arrogance.
The relatively small forces sent against Spartak were one by one defeated, and his army, meanwhile, was strengthened: slaves from all over Italy flocked to it.
Unfortunately, among the rebels there was no unity and no common plan for further actions: some wanted to stay in Italy and continue the war, while others wanted to leave before the main Roman forces entered the war. Part of the army broke away from Spartak and was defeated. An attempt to leave Italy by sea ended in failure due to the betrayal of the pirates hired by Spartacus. The commander for a long time avoided a decisive battle with the legions of Crassus superior to his army, but in the end he was forced to accept a battle in which the slaves were defeated and he himself died. According to legend, Spartak continued to fight, already being seriously wounded. His body was literally littered with the corpses of the Roman legionnaires he had killed in the last battle.
Pompey (106 BC – 48 BC)
Gnaeus Pompey is known primarily as an opponent of Julius Caesar. But he received his nickname Magnus (Great) for completely different battles.
During the civil war he was one of Sulla's best generals. Then Pompey successfully fought in Spain, the Middle East, and the Caucasus and significantly expanded Roman possessions.
Another important task of Pompey was clearing the Mediterranean Sea from pirates, who had become so insolent that Rome experienced serious difficulties in transporting food by sea.
When Julius Caesar refused to submit to the Senate and thereby started a civil war, Pompey was entrusted with command of the troops of the republic. The struggle between the two great commanders went on for a long time with varying success. But in the decisive battle of the Greek city of Pharsalus, Pompey was defeated and forced to flee. He tried to raise a new army to continue the fight, but was treacherously killed in Egypt. Pompey's head was presented to Julius Caesar, but he, contrary to expectations, did not reward, but executed the murderers of his great enemy.
Julius Caesar (100 BC – 44 BC)
Gaius Julius Caesar truly became famous as a commander when he conquered Gaul (now mostly French territory). He himself compiled a detailed account of these events, writing Notes on the Gallic War, which is still considered an example of military memoirs. Julius Caesar's aphoristic style was also evident in his reports to the Senate. For example, “I have arrived.” Saw. “Won” went down in history.
Having come into conflict with the Senate, Julius Caesar refused to surrender command and invaded Italy. At the border, he and his troops crossed the Rubicon River, and since then the expression “Cross the Rubicon” (meaning to take a decisive action that cuts off the path to retreat) has become popular.
In the ensuing civil war, he defeated the troops of Gnaeus Pompey at Pharsalus, despite the enemy's numerical superiority, and after campaigns in Africa and Spain he returned to Rome as a dictator. A few years later he was assassinated by conspirators in the Senate. According to legend, the bloody body of Julius Caesar fell at the foot of the statue of his enemy Pompey.
Arminius (16 BC – 21 AD)
Arminius, the leader of the German Cherusci tribe, is known, first of all, for the fact that with his victory over the Romans in the battle in the Teutoburg Forest, he dispelled the myth of their invincibility, which inspired other peoples to fight the conquerors.
In his youth, Arminius served in the Roman army and studied the future enemy well from the inside. After an uprising of Germanic tribes broke out in his homeland, Arminius led it. According to some sources, he was even his ideological inspirer. When three Roman legions sent against the rebels entered the Teutoburg Forest, where they could not line up in the usual order, the Germans, led by Arminius, attacked them. After three days of battle, the Roman troops were almost completely destroyed, and the head of the unlucky Roman commander Quintilius Varus, the son-in-law of Emperor Octavian Augustus himself, was shown around German villages.
Knowing that the Romans would certainly try to take revenge, Arminius tried to unite the Germanic tribes to repel them, but did not succeed. He died not at the hands of the Romans, but as a result of internal strife, killed by someone close to him. However, his cause was not lost: following the wars with the Romans, the Germanic tribes defended their independence.
Wars march shoulder to shoulder with the civilization of mankind. And wars, as we know, give rise to great warriors. Great commanders can decide the course of a war with their victories. Today we will talk about such commanders. So we present to your attention the 10 greatest commanders of all times.
1 Alexander the Great
We gave the first place among the greatest commanders to Alexander the Great. Since childhood, Alexander dreamed of conquering the world and, although he did not have a heroic physique, he preferred to participate in military battles. Thanks to his leadership qualities, he became one of the great commanders of his time. The victories of the army of Alexander the Great are at the pinnacle of the military art of Ancient Greece. Alexander's army did not have numerical superiority, but was still able to win all the battles, spreading his gigantic empire from Greece to India. He trusted his soldiers, and they did not let him down, but faithfully followed him, reciprocating.
2 Great Mongol Khan
In 1206, on the Onon River, the leaders of the nomadic tribes proclaimed the mighty Mongol warrior as the great khan of all Mongol tribes. And his name is Genghis Khan. The shamans predicted Genghis Khan power over the whole world, and he did not disappoint. Having become the great Mongol emperor, he founded one of the greatest empires and united the scattered Mongol tribes. The Shah's state and some Russian principalities conquered China, all of Central Asia, as well as the Caucasus and Eastern Europe, Baghdad, Khorezm.
3 "Timur is lame"
He received the nickname “Timur the lame” for a physical disability that he received during skirmishes with the khans, but despite this he became famous as a Central Asian conqueror who played a fairly significant role in the history of Central, South and Western Asia, as well as the Caucasus, Volga region and Rus'. Founded the Timurid empire and dynasty, with its capital in Samarkand. He had no equal in saber and archery skills. However, after his death, the territory under his control, which stretched from Samarkand to the Volga, very quickly disintegrated.
4 "Father of Strategy"
Hannibal is the greatest military strategist of the Ancient world, a Carthaginian commander. This is the "Father of Strategy". He hated Rome and everything connected with it, and was a sworn enemy of the Roman Republic. He fought the well-known Punic Wars with the Romans. He successfully used the tactics of enveloping enemy troops from the flanks, followed by encirclement. Standing at the head of a 46,000-strong army, which included 37 war elephants, he crossed the Pyrenees and the snow-capped Alps.
Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich
National Hero of Russia
Suvorov can safely be called a national hero of Russia, a great Russian commander, because he did not suffer a single defeat in his entire military career, which included more than 60 battles. He is the founder of Russian military art, a military thinker who had no equal. Participant in the Russian-Turkish wars, Italian and Swiss campaigns.
6 Brilliant commander
Napoleon Bonaparte French emperor in 1804-1815, a great commander and statesman. It was Napoleon who laid the foundations of the modern French state. While still a lieutenant, he began his military career. And from the very beginning, participating in wars, he was able to establish himself as an intelligent and fearless commander. Having taken the place of the emperor, he unleashed the Napoleonic Wars, but he failed to conquer the whole world. He was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo and spent the rest of his life on the island of St. Helena.
Saladin (Salah ad-Din)
Expelled the Crusaders
Great talented Muslim commander and outstanding organizer, Sultan of Egypt and Syria. Translated from Arabic, Salah ad-Din means “Defender of the Faith.” He received this honorary nickname for his fight against the crusaders. He led the fight against the crusaders. Saladin's troops captured Beirut, Acre, Caesarea, Ascalon and Jerusalem. Thanks to Saladin, Muslim lands were liberated from foreign troops and foreign faith.
8 Emperor of the Roman Empire
A special place among the rulers of the Ancient World is occupied by the well-known ancient Roman statesman and political figure, dictator, commander, and writer Gaius Julius Caesar. Conqueror of Gaul, Germany, Britain. He has outstanding abilities as a military tactician and strategist, as well as a great orator who managed to influence the people by promising them gladiatorial games and spectacles. The most powerful figure of his time. But this did not stop a small group of conspirators from killing the great commander. This caused civil wars to break out again, leading to the decline of the Roman Empire.
9 Nevsky
Grand Duke, wise statesman, famous commander. He is called the fearless knight. Alexander devoted his entire life to defending his homeland. Together with his small squad, he defeated the Swedes at the Battle of the Neva in 1240. That's why he got his nickname. He recaptured his hometowns from the Livonian Order at the Battle of the Ice, which took place on Lake Peipsi, thereby stopping the ruthless Catholic expansion in Russian lands coming from the West.
War and peace are ever-changing sides of the same coin called “life.” If in times of peace you need a wise and fair ruler, then in times of war you need a merciless commander who must win the battle and the war at all costs. History remembers many great military leaders, but it is impossible to list them all. We present to your attention the very best:
Alexander the Great (Alexander the Great)
Since childhood, Alexander dreamed of conquering the world and, although he did not have a heroic physique, he preferred to participate in military battles. Thanks to his leadership qualities, he became one of the great commanders of his time. The victories of the army of Alexander the Great are at the pinnacle of the military art of Ancient Greece. Alexander's army did not have numerical superiority, but was still able to win all the battles, spreading his gigantic empire from Greece to India. He trusted his soldiers, and they did not let him down, but faithfully followed him, reciprocating.
Genghis Khan (Great Mongol Khan)
In 1206, on the Onon River, the leaders of the nomadic tribes proclaimed the mighty Mongol warrior as the great khan of all Mongol tribes. And his name is Genghis Khan. The shamans predicted Genghis Khan power over the whole world, and he did not disappoint. Having become the great Mongol emperor, he founded one of the greatest empires and united the scattered Mongol tribes. The Shah's state and some Russian principalities conquered China, all of Central Asia, as well as the Caucasus and Eastern Europe, Baghdad, Khorezm.
Tamerlane (“Timur the Lame”)
He received the nickname “Timur the lame” for a physical disability that he received during skirmishes with the khans, but despite this he became famous as a Central Asian conqueror who played a fairly significant role in the history of Central, South and Western Asia, as well as the Caucasus, Volga region and Rus'. Founded the Timurid empire and dynasty, with its capital in Samarkand. He had no equal in saber and archery skills. However, after his death, the territory under his control, which stretched from Samarkand to the Volga, very quickly disintegrated.
Hannibal Barca ("Father of Strategy")
Hannibal is the greatest military strategist of the Ancient world, a Carthaginian commander. This is the "Father of Strategy". He hated Rome and everything connected with it, and was a sworn enemy of the Roman Republic. He fought the well-known Punic Wars with the Romans. He successfully used the tactic of enveloping enemy troops from the flanks and then encircling him. Standing at the head of a 46,000-strong army, which included 37 war elephants, he crossed the Pyrenees and the snow-capped Alps.
Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich
Suvorov can safely be called a national hero of Russia, a great Russian commander, because he did not suffer a single defeat in his entire military career, which included more than 60 battles. He is the founder of Russian military art, a military thinker who had no equal. Participant in the Russian-Turkish wars, Italian and Swiss campaigns.
Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte French emperor in 1804-1815, a great commander and statesman. It was Napoleon who laid the foundations of the modern French state. While still a lieutenant, he began his military career. And from the very beginning, participating in wars, he was able to establish himself as an intelligent and fearless commander. Having taken the place of the emperor, he unleashed the Napoleonic Wars, but he failed to conquer the whole world. He was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo and spent the rest of his life on the island of St. Helena.
Saladin (Salah ad-Din) Expelled the Crusaders
Great talented Muslim commander and outstanding organizer, Sultan of Egypt and Syria. Translated from Arabic, Salah ad-Din means “Defender of the Faith.” He received this honorary nickname for his fight against the crusaders. He led the fight against the crusaders. Saladin's troops captured Beirut, Acre, Caesarea, Ascalon and Jerusalem. Thanks to Saladin, Muslim lands were liberated from foreign troops and foreign faith.
Gaius Julius Caesar
A special place among the rulers of the Ancient World is occupied by the well-known ancient Roman statesman and political figure, dictator, commander, and writer Gaius Julius Caesar. Conqueror of Gaul, Germany, Britain. He has outstanding abilities as a military tactician and strategist, as well as a great orator who managed to influence the people by promising them gladiatorial games and spectacles. The most powerful figure of his time. But this did not stop a small group of conspirators from killing the great commander. This caused civil wars to break out again, leading to the decline of the Roman Empire.
Alexander Nevsky
Grand Duke, wise statesman, famous commander. He is called the fearless knight. Alexander devoted his entire life to defending his homeland. Together with his small squad, he defeated the Swedes at the Battle of the Neva in 1240. That's why he got his nickname. He recaptured his hometowns from the Livonian Order at the Battle of the Ice, which took place on Lake Peipsi, thereby stopping the ruthless Catholic expansion in Russian lands coming from the West.
Dmitry Donskoy
Dmitry Donskoy is considered the forefather of modern Russia. During his reign, the white stone Moscow Kremlin was built. This famous prince, after his victory in the Battle of Kulikovo, in which he was completely able to defeat the Mongol horde, was nicknamed Donskoy. He was strong, tall, broad-shouldered, heavyset. It is also known that Dmitry was pious, kind and chaste. A real commander has real qualities.
Attila
This man led the Hun Empire, which at first was not an empire at all. He was able to conquer a vast territory stretching from Central Asia to modern Germany. Attila was an enemy of both the Western and Eastern Roman Empires. He is known for his brutality and ability to conduct military operations. Few emperors, kings and leaders could boast of capturing such a vast territory in such a short time.
Adolf Hitler
Actually, this man cannot be called a military genius. Now there is a lot of debate about how a failed artist and corporal could become, albeit for a short time, the ruler of all of Europe. The military claims that the “blitzkrieg” form of warfare was invented by Hitler. Needless to say, the evil genius Adolf Hitler, through whose fault tens of millions of people died, was indeed a very capable military leader (at least until the start of the war with the USSR, when a worthy opponent was found).
Georgy Zhukov
As you know, Zhukov led the Red Army in the Great Patriotic War. He was a man whose ability to conduct military operations can be called super-outstanding. In fact, this man was a genius in his field, one of those people who ultimately led the USSR to victory. After the fall of Germany, Zhukov led the military forces of the USSR that occupied this country. Thanks to the genius of Zhukov, perhaps you and I have the opportunity to live and rejoice now.
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As long as human civilization has existed, there have been wars. And wars, in turn, gave birth to great warriors.
10. Richard I the Lionheart (1157-1199)
He earned this nickname for his outstanding military talents and personal courage. Together with King Philip II of France, he led the crusade. He turned out to be a victim of betrayal by an ally, so the Holy Sepulcher was never freed from the army of the “Knight of the East” Saladin. After a dramatic return to England, he waged a grueling struggle with his brother John for the English crown. Many knightly legends and ballads are associated with King Richard I the Lionheart.
9. Spartacus (110-71 BC)
Source: toptenz.net
The most famous gladiator in history, who led a slave revolt against ancient Rome. According to one version, before falling into slavery and becoming a gladiator, he served in the Roman army, deserted and became a thief. With his army of runaway slaves, he walked the length and breadth of Roman possessions. In 71 BC. In the battle near the Silari River in the south of the Apennine Peninsula, the gladiators were defeated and Spartacus died. According to legend, a legionnaire named Felix, who killed Spartacus, laid out a mosaic picture of that battle on the wall of his house in Pompeii.
8. Saladin (1138-1193)
Source: usu.edu
Sultan of Egypt and Syria, brilliant Muslim commander of the 12th century. “Anti-hero” of the Third Crusade (for the Western world) and defender of Islamic shrines from the hordes of “infidels” (for the Eastern world). He captured King Richard the Lionheart, but then nobly let him go home in exchange for a promise not to try to liberate Muslim Jerusalem. Developed advanced tactics for rapid cavalry attack.
7. Napoleon I Bonaparte (1769-1821)
Source: liveinternet.ru
Emperor of France, an outstanding commander and statesman. He began his military career with the rank of lieutenant. In 1788, he almost became an officer in the Russian army, which was staffed partly by foreigners for the war with Turkey. Taking part in wars, from the very beginning of his career he established himself as a skillful and brave commander. Having become emperor, he unleashed the so-called Napoleonic Wars (1796-1815), which radically changed the face of Europe.
6. Alexander Nevsky (1221-1263)
Source: heruvim.com.ua
He studied military affairs from an early age. Already being a prince, he led his squads and personally fought in the front ranks. He received his nickname in honor of the victory on the banks of the Neva River over the Swedes in 1240. However, his most famous victory is the Battle of the Ice on Lake Peipus in 1242. Then the warriors of Alexander Nevsky completely defeated the knights of the Livonian Order and stopped the ruthless Catholic expansion of the West into Russian lands.
5. Gaius Julius Caesar (100-44 BC)
Source: teammarcopolo.com
This Roman dictator, commander and statesman, the first emperor of the Roman Empire, became famous for his victorious wars far beyond the borders of his country. At the head of the famous Roman legions he conquered Gaul, Germany and Britain. He was considered the most powerful figure of his time, but fell victim to a relatively small group of conspirators.
4. Hannibal Barca (247-183 BC)
Source: talismancoins.com
Outstanding Carthaginian commander and strategist. In his battles, he successfully used the tactics of enveloping enemy troops from the flanks and then encircling them. Fiercely he hated Rome and everything Roman. He fought the famous Punic Wars with the Romans with varying degrees of success. His unprecedented crossing of the Pyrenees and the snow-capped Alps at the head of a 46,000-strong army, which included 37 war elephants, is known.
3. Genghis Khan (1155 (or 1162) - 1227)
A true leader, a selfless conqueror, a despotic seeker of glory: in every era he is different, and each is a genius in his own way. The greatest commander in history: the site asked experts to name who, in their opinion, deserved this great title.
Nikolai Svanidze, journalist, historian
I would name three: Julius Caesar, Napoleon Bonaparte and Alexander Suvorov. Caesar - because he fought along the perimeter with a huge number of enemy armies, differently armed, differently trained, sometimes outnumbering his legions, sometimes even with the Roman generals themselves, well trained and talented, such as Pompey, and always won victory. If we add to this that he was not only a commander, but also a statesman... I think that he deserves to be recognized as one of the greatest commanders in the world. He was almost always victorious. However, everyone I named was almost always victorious.
Napoleon is a man who practically conquered all of Europe with limited resources and leading the army of revolutionary France. A man who took several very serious steps in war strategy and combat. He made huge strides in the use of artillery in battle. He always knew in what place the commander should be, at what moment of the battle. he knew how to command, overlooking the entire battlefield. Napoleon knew how to lead into battle, even when it seemed that the situation was hopeless. Yes, at the end of his military career he suffered defeats, but only from his opponent’s forces that were significantly superior to him, when he simply no longer had the resources to resist.
Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov is also a man who always won victories, regardless of any numerical balance of forces, in completely different field and weather conditions, dealing with a completely different enemy. This is a man with colossal military instincts, with amazing intuition, a man whose name alone was a thunderstorm for Europe. I wish he had ever fought Napoleon. It would be a battle between two military geniuses. I would be willing to pay to have a front row seat to see who could beat who.
Leonid Kalashnikov, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Relations
I consider Genghis Khan the greatest commander, because, unlike all other commanders I know, including Napoleon, Stalin, etc., this man was able to create, practically from scratch in a very weak state, an army that was able to conquer half the world . In this sense, there is hardly anyone else who can compete with him; even Alexander the Great already had a great empire before he began to conquer the world.
And Genghis Khan first created an empire, and then, on its basis, in the process of creating an empire, he became a great commander. True, our Russia does not know what more it has lost or gained from this. It is known that we were under this yoke for 300 years. But here historians will argue for a long time about how this happened, and what the truth was, not everyone will say reliably.
Many of our princes, including those of whom we are proud, not only paid tribute to this great commander, or more precisely, his descendants, but also used the services of this army, the khans, including to gain personal power. But that's another story.
Genghis Khan is the greatest commander, and one might even say the first.
Pavel Felgenhauer, military expert
There were several great commanders. We know everyone, but judging by who left the biggest mark, everyone and anyone is calling Napoleon. I agree with them. You can also name Alexander the Great. They were not theorists, but they were practitioners. Theorists are a slightly different nomenclature, and they also existed, but if we talk about practitioners, then these are Alexander and Napoleon.
Georgy Mirsky, chief researcher at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences, political scientist
Since there is no exact criterion, it always comes down to two: Alexander the Great and Napoleon. Of course, who else? They are the greatest, they have won the most victories. This is generally a children's question. When I was still at school, I talked to the boys about this topic.
Of the Russians, of course, Suvorov is in first place, but not in the world. Napoleon conquered all of Europe, but Suvorov conquered nothing. Alexander the Great conquered the entire world of that time. If we take this as a criterion, then they are the greatest commanders.
Another thing is that after their death everything collapsed. And, as always happens, all great conquests ultimately turn out to be nonsense. People die, countries are conquered, troops enter a foreign capital to the sound of drums. Well, what next? This doesn't give anything. Ultimately, this only gives people a sense of fame.
For Napoleon this was the main thing. Glory and honor. And it must be said that all great commanders leave this feeling for future generations; people should be proud of something.
Of course, from this point of view, it is more important for people to talk about the commanders who entered the largest number of foreign capitals. People think much less about the fact that it leads to nothing. And it is so important that our army was marching somewhere. “From the Urals to the Danube, / To the big river, / Swaying and sparkling, / The regiments are moving” ( M. Yu. Lermontov, “Dispute”).
