Best of the Best: Ancient Greats Quiz

Answer: Hanno

Interestingly, there are three leaders from Carthage named Hanno who were called "the Great" - Hanno I, Hanno II, and Hanno III, but it is unclear whether or not the three were related. The leader of the anti-war faction in Carthage during the Second Punic War was Hanno II.

His decision to NOT send reinforcements to Hannibal after the victory at Cannae was blamed for causing the Carthaginian defeat at the Battle of Zama. After the terrible conquest, during which time it is said the Carthaginian women and children were sold into slavery and salt was plowed into the soil, he served as an ambassador to negotiate the treaty with Rome.

It is believed that Hanno II was called "the Great" due to his leadership during wars against African enemies before the Second Punic War.

Answer: Gwanggaeto

As leader of Goguryeo, Gwanggaeto ushered in a Golden Age; the kingdom became more powerful under his leadership, as it expanded into parts of modern-day Korea, Russia, China, and Mongolia. In addition, approximately 66% of the Korean peninsula was under his control. With a title that translates into "Supreme King, Broad Expander of Domain", Gwanggaeto is one of only two rulers in Korea that were given the title, "the Great".

Answer: Alexander III

By the time Alexander III was thirty years old, he ruled one of the largest ancient empires. Spending all of his reign as a king on a military campaign, Alexander not only founded at least twenty cities, but also spread Greek culture throughout his empire that included parts of Egypt, Greece, Persia, and all the way to India.

The cultural diffusion that occurred due to his conquests ushered in the Hellenistic Age, a time of great learning in several areas, such as art, science, literature, philosophy, and mathematics, and influenced future scholars for many centuries. Unfortunately Alexander died before settling down to rule his great empire, and it began to crumble immediately after his death.

Answer: Herod I

Calling Herod "Great" is a bit of a paradox. Some historians call him "the greatest builder in Jewish history"; he expanded the Second Temple in Jerusalem, a port at Caesarea Maritima, and a great fortress at Masada, among others. On the other hand, the phrase "out-Herod Herod" isn't a compliment.

He was responsible for the deaths of members of his own family, rabbis, and the boy babies at the time of Christ's birth as told in the Bible. His name is synonymous with evil and criminal actions. So, why is he called "the Great"?

Answer: Justinian I

Also known as St. Justinian I in the Greek Orthodox Church, Justinian was only partially able to rebuild the Roman Empire. He did, however, write the code, "Corpus Juris Civilis", which is still used today as the basic of the legal codes in many countries.

As part of his building programs he built and renovated churches, including the Hagia Sophia in what is present-day Istanbul, which, used as a church and a mosque throughout its history, is now a museum. His support of the silk trade in his empire insured economic success in his empire that would continue for centuries.

Answer: Sargon I

Sargon I was the first Akkadian king; he conquered and united all of the Sumerian city-states into an empire, which included much of ancient Mesopotamia. It is believed that future kings, including those of Babylon and Assyria, used the rule of Sargon as a model to their rule centuries after his death.

Some historians regard Sargon as the builder of the first empire in history. While the Akkadians conquered the ancient Sumerians, who are given credit for the birth of civilization, many elements of Sumerian culture were maintained, such as the use of cuneiform writing.

Answer: Qin Shi Huang

During the reign of Qin Shi Huang, the size of China's empire was greatly expanded, and the construction of the Great Wall began with the intention of keeping invaders out of the empire. Traditional Chinese historians, however, saw Qin Shi Huang as a brutal emperor, who burned ancient classics, and buried Confucian scholars alive.

Modern scholars tend to be more forgiving, calling him a great hero. His greatest legacy might have been the building of his mausoleum; it was discovered in 1974, guarded by life-sized terracotta soldiers. Reports of his tyranny once again surfaced, however, when it was revealed that the workmen who constructed the tomb were all killed.

Answer: Constantine I

Shortly after Constantine became the Roman emperor, he made his conversion to Christianity public. By issuing the Edict of Milan, he ended the religious persecutions of Christians that had been sporadically occurring in the Roman empire since the time of Nero. Years later, he built a new Roman capital on the site of the ancient Greek village of Byzantium and named it after himself.

This city eventually became the capital of the eastern Roman empire, which was known as the Byzantine Empire; after the fall of Rome, Constantinople became known as the Second Rome, and continued to be an intellectual and cultural center of the area until being taken over by the Ottoman Turks in 1453. Today the city is called Istanbul.

Answer: Darius I

Using an intricate system of spies - his "eyes and ears" - Darius I established a very efficient government, dividing his large empire into provinces and appointing satraps, or governors, to administer them. To improve the unity of his empire, Darius built roads, the most famous of which was called the Royal Road, promoting trade and allowing his army to move quickly if needed. Standardized weights and measures facilitated trade, and as long as citizens kept the peace and paid their taxes, they were permitted a large degree of freedom.

Answer: Pompey

Pompey the Great unfairly gained notoriety as a military leader during the Spartacus revolt in ancient Rome. His colleague, Crassus, was commander-in-chief of the campaign, however, Pompey was able to take credit for ending the revolt after capturing some retreating slaves.

It was after his clearing the Mediterranean of pirates, that Pompey really began to gain recognition as a military leader. Given special authority to do whatever necessary to contain them within three years, he cleared the Mediterranean of pirates within three months. Pompey made the famous First Triumvirate alliance with Crassus and Caesar, marrying Caesar's daughter Julia.

After she died in childbirth and Crassus was killed in battle, the alliance ended, and Pompey and Caesar found themselves involved in a civil war, which led to Pompey's defeat and death.