Best of the Best: Ancient Military Leaders Quiz

Answer: Themistocles

As the army of Xerxes moved unhindered through Greece, the oracle at Delphi was asked about the course of action to take. When the oracle told them "wide-seeing Jupiter gives a wooden wall to the Triton-born goddess, to be alone impregnable", many Athenians believed the reference was to the walls around the city.

Themistocles knew otherwise! Having long been a proponent of the building of a grand navy, he persuaded the people that the wooden wall was the Athenian fleet! Members of the Delian League argued about the placement of the fleet, but Themistocles wisely placed the ships in the narrow passage above the island of Salamis.

The heavy Persian ships had difficulty maneuvering in the narrow straits, and they suffered heavy damages. Although Themistocles had the right strategy at Salamis, he was later ostracized.

He spent the last part of his life as Governor of Magnesia in Asia Minor.

Answer: Joshua

After the Exodus, Joshua was charged by Moses to select and command a military unit; he led the first victory after leaving Egypt against the Amalekites in Rephidim. He was also with Moses on Mt. Sinai, and was one of the twelve spies Moses selected to report on the land of Canaan. Joshua took over leadership of the group when Moses died. What a tough act to follow! According to Joshua 1:5, he was appointed by God and given the cloak of invincibility during his lifetime.

At the Battle of Jericho, without so much as questioning God's directives, he did exactly what he was told, and took over the city after seven days!

Answer: Trajan

Trajan, who was born in Spain, was the adopted son of the Emperor Nerva. At the time of Nerva's death, Trajan, a popular soldier, became emperor. Eventually he was given the title "optimus princeps", or the best ruler, by the Senate. During his reign the Roman empire reached its maximum territorial extent.

Not only was he known as a great military leader, but he was also well-liked for overseeing public building projects and social welfare reforms. For those reasons, he was the second of the group that became known as the Five Good Emperors.

Answer: Hannibal Barca

Considered one of the greatest military commanders in history, Hannibal grew up in a family of military commanders, including his father, Hamilcar, brothers, Mago and Hasdrubal, and a brother-in-law, Hasdrubal the Fair. He is perhaps best known for his famous march of an army that included war elephants across the Alps during the Second Punic War.

After successfully occupying parts of Italy for fifteen years, he was forced to return to Carthage after the Romans invaded his homeland. After his decisive defeat at the Battle of Zama, he fled into voluntary exile, serving first at the Seleucid court under Antiochus III, and later at the kingdom of Bithynia, where he was able to successfully continue campaigning against the Romans.

He eventually committed suicide after being betrayed to the Romans.

Answer: Ramses II

Known for a long, prosperous reign, and countless building projects, it is interesting to note that Ramses II also negotiated the first non-aggression pact in history with the Hittites. The results of his first battle with the Hittites in Syria are a bit of a mystery, as both sides claimed victory. Sixteen years later, rather than fighting the Egyptians again, the Hittite king proposed the pact. Both kings agreed to not only cease further attacks, but also to come to each others aid if attacked by a third party! This was a brilliant move for both leaders! The Hittites could focus full attention on other problems, and Ramses could embark on ambitious building projects without fear of invasion.

Answer: Hammurabi

Hammurabi, an Amorite king, was able to conquer all of ancient Mesopotamia during his reign. He united all of the city-states under his rule, and his capital, the city of Babylon, became the political and cultural capital of the area. In fact, the city was so powerful that the entire area Hammurabi ruled was called Babylonia.

It is for his law code, however, that he is remembered. It isn't the oldest code of laws, but it very comprehensive. Although he was careful to give credit for the code to Marduk, the god of justice, it is clear that Hammurabi wished to establish a uniform system of justice throughout his kingdom.

Answer: Cyrus II

When Cyrus became king, the Persians were vassals of the Median empire. He married a Median princess, organized groups of Persians and other rebels, and within nine years the empire of the Medes had fallen under his control. Next, he defeated the very wealthy Lydian king, Croesus. Known as "King of the Four Corners of the World", his empire stretched from the Caucasus, to the Mediterranean Sea, the Hellespont, and the Indus River. Guided by his ethical religion, Zoroastrianism, Cyrus was "great" not only because of the size of his empire, but because of his advocacy of fair treatment of others.

Answer: Sun Tzu

With a name that means "Master Sun", Sun Tzu ruled China during a time known as the Spring and Autumn period in the 500s BC. Although some historians would disagree (there was another called by the same title who also wrote a book on warfare), Sun Tzu is given credit for writing the ancient Chinese text, "The Art of War", which is believed to be a masterpiece on military strategy. For several centuries it was required reading for anyone who was interested in imperial appointment to military positions.

In 1949 Mao Zedong partially credited the book for his victory over Chiang Kai-shek! Leaders also have found the book helpful in both public and business administration.

Answer: Julius Caesar

With the love story of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra being so popular, as well as the events on the Ides of March, it is sometimes easy to forget that Caesar was a great military commander. His conquest of Gaul added an area that was twice the size of the empire of his day to the Roman empire; he also led the first conquest of Britain.

In addition, the governmental and social reforms that Caesar made were so far-reaching that after his heir, Octavian, finally ended the civil wars, a two hundred year period of peace in the Roman Empire, the "Pax Romana", began.

Answer: Alexander the Great

After the death of his father, Alexander, who was just twenty years old, marched his troops to the Greek city-state of Thebes, which was rumored to be in rebellion. The Theban men were massacred; the city was burned to the ground, with the exception of the temples and the home of the admired poet, Pindar. With the Greeks sufficiently subdued, Alexander could begin a period of expansion, traveling with his army over 20,000 miles in just twelve years. Alexander was just thirty-three years old when he died.

His crown, sceptre, and robe continued to preside at meetings after his death.