Great Military Leaders of the Ancient World

Throughout history, war has been a fact of nature. In the past 200 years, some of the most famous names we think of were warriors of one kind or another. However, many of the names we remember from ancient history were those of the great military leaders. Here are 10 of the greatest military leaders of the ancient world.

1.) Alexander the Great-A Macedonian prince that conquered his Grecian neighbors, the great Persian Empire, and even the Egyptians in a matter of about 13 years. He became king of Macedonia about the age of 19 or 20, and died around the age of 33. In that short span of time, he founded many cities that still bear his name.

2.) Attila the Hun-Referred to by the Romans as the "Scourge of God", Attila ruled the Hunnic tribes of modern day Hungary from 434 through 453 AD. He was renowned for his ruthlessness on the battle field, but was said to be a gracious host. Oddly enough, Attila died not in battle, but on his wedding night from a bloody nose.

3.) Boudicca-Queen of the Iceni tribe of the British Isles. After the death of her husband, Roman legions took over her lands, had the queen flogged and her daughters raped. In retaliation, Boudicca led an army of Celtic warriors that burned Londinium (London) to the ground and killed thousands of Roman citizens living in Britain. Though she died in a final battle, she is still seen as one of Britain's greatest warriors.

4.) Darius the Great-This ruler came to power not by royal birth, but by usurping the throne from one who had done the same before him, around 521 BC. Though many cities such as Babylon revolted, Darius was able to retain his hold on all the lands and created the mighty Persian Empire. Darius died around 485 BC, reigning for a total of 36 years.

5.) Ghengis Khan-Born around 1163 AD, he was the son of a clan chieftain. At the age of 13, his father was murdered and the young Ghengis tried to take his place but was sent to live in the wilderness with his family instead. Over the next few years, he fought and won several minor skirmishes, creating a name for himself. He was declared Khan around the age of 20, and from there he united all the Mongol clans. He died at the age of about 64 after falling from his horse during a hunting expedition.

6.) Hannibal-Born the son of a Carthaginian general, Hannibal was raised to hate the Romans and their way of life. As general, he began retaking many of the cities that had been conquered by Rome, thus causing Rome to wage war on Carthage. However, Hannibal decided to attack Rome in a way that would never have been expected. He took his army, including several war elephants, and crossed the Alps to enter Italy around 218 BC. After many years of fighting throughout the Italian countryside, Hannibal committed suicide around 183 BC rather than become a war trophy for Rome.

7.) Julius Caesar-Though we know him best as the first real Roman Emperor, he was a great general throughout his early career. He spent time as a governor of Spain, and then in Gaul (Modern France) for eight years, and even had 2 excursions in Britain. He led a civil war in Italy and followed his enemy, Pompey, to Egypt where he met the queen, Cleopatra. From there, he declared himself dictator for life and was subsequently murdered by the senate.

8.) Leonides-King of the Spartans and one of the most famous military leaders of the Greek world. He led a small army of Spartans, Thebans, and Thespians against the Persian Empire and their king, Xerxes. Though the Spartans, including Leonides, died in the siege, they were able to hold off the Persian army at a small pass called Thermopylae and was recently made famous in the movie The 300.

9.) Ramesses II-Better known as Ramesses the Great, this Pharaoh was also a great military leader in his own right. His best known battle was against the Hittite's in the Battle of Kadesh. Though both sides claimed victory in this battle, it is clear that both sides also sustained major casualties.

10.) William Wallace-Born in Scotland, this young man would become a champion for his country. He led many revolts against the English who had conquered Scotland and expected its men to fight against the French along side the English king, Edward I. William led the battle at Sterling Bridge in 1297, in which the English were soundly defeated. However, after being deemed an outlaw by the English king, William Wallace was captured and put on trial for his supposed crimes. After being found guilty, he was hanged, tortured, butchered and even beheaded. Even still, he is Scotland's greatest hero.