Greek Pride
I am not going to get involved in this in to depth analysis or 2 of the greatest minds in generalship. I will only stand to this:
Yeah but anyways the votes in the poll show that Alexander had it all!If he had those there would be no question that Hannibal would at LEAST be = to Alexander.
Life is like Chess, once you make a move you can't take it back.
Civitate
This poll is viced, since apparently alexander was the typical romantic heroic general. He would fight battles in the frontline, inspired his men and he died young with an unfortunate disease. But i would ask this, what if Alexander lived longer and lost a battle or two?
The whole empire he had (gained very fast) depended on the belief of invincibility of Alexander and his army. A few defeats could bring down the house, but we will never know...
"Yes, I rather like this God fellow. He's very theatrical, you know,
a pestilence here, a plague there... He's so deliciously evil."
Stewie, Family Guy
Greek Pride
Same goes for Hannibal PR, if let's say an arrow had hit him earlier before he invades roman terittory. But as you said we will never know.
Life is like Chess, once you make a move you can't take it back.
Civis
Obviously I voted for Caesar.
I think he accieved quite alot. He added Gaul to the Empire, invaded Britain and pushed the germans back over the rhine.
The siege at alesia was perfect. It just shows his tactical genious.
He nearly wiped out the helvetii tribe which was a bit overdoing it.
But as second commander i would definately choose Hannibal Barca.
Cannae, Trebia, Trasimeno are just an example!!
Sun Tzu was the best, and also wrote the best war book ever written.
It Gets Worse.
Sun Tzu didn't even necessarily exist.Originally posted by Eksadiss@May 4 2004, 06:29 AM
Sun Tzu was the best, and also wrote the best war book ever written.
The common culture of a tribe is a sign of its inner cohesion. But tribes are vanishing from the modern world, as are all forms of traditional society. Customs, practices, festivals, rituals and beliefs have acquired a flut and half-hearted quality which reflects our nomadic and rootless existence, predicated as we are on the global air-waves.
ROGER SCRUTON, Modern Culture
Actually I t was around 500BC, I read a biography, about his war academy and :wub:. Anyways its now how well you conquer that makes you great or not. Its your ability to do it without fighting that makes an exellent general.
It Gets Worse.
I'm reading a study on "the art of war" and it discusses the the different theories around Sun Tzu. A valid theory is that Sun Tzu never excisted, but is a fictional chatacter. If he did exist, it's impossible to tell what he said/didn't say and what he wrote/didn't write. These records have been altered, re-written and so on...Originally posted by Eksadiss@May 4 2004, 06:25 PM
Actually I t was around 500BC, I read a biography, about his war academy and :wub:. Anyways its now how well you conquer that makes you great or not. Its your ability to do it without fighting that makes an exellent general.
The common culture of a tribe is a sign of its inner cohesion. But tribes are vanishing from the modern world, as are all forms of traditional society. Customs, practices, festivals, rituals and beliefs have acquired a flut and half-hearted quality which reflects our nomadic and rootless existence, predicated as we are on the global air-waves.
ROGER SCRUTON, Modern Culture
ah there you go, THEORIES
It Gets Worse.
Theories backed up by facts, a.k.a history.Originally posted by Eksadiss@May 4 2004, 06:36 PM
ah there you go, THEORIES
The common culture of a tribe is a sign of its inner cohesion. But tribes are vanishing from the modern world, as are all forms of traditional society. Customs, practices, festivals, rituals and beliefs have acquired a flut and half-hearted quality which reflects our nomadic and rootless existence, predicated as we are on the global air-waves.
ROGER SCRUTON, Modern Culture
It's hard to say whether Sun Tzu did or did not exist, but all I know is that the Art of War didn't write itself. Whether it was Sun Tzu or some other great tactician using a surname, it definitely is a good piece.
which facts
It Gets Worse.
I haven't read into the theory and I'm not saying I support it, since I know little about the subject. I am however reading a book about Sun Tzu's art of war and am learning all the time. My point is, history, especially that ancient, is theories backed up by facts.
The common culture of a tribe is a sign of its inner cohesion. But tribes are vanishing from the modern world, as are all forms of traditional society. Customs, practices, festivals, rituals and beliefs have acquired a flut and half-hearted quality which reflects our nomadic and rootless existence, predicated as we are on the global air-waves.
ROGER SCRUTON, Modern Culture
It would have to be Caesar, simply because of the way he comprehensibly defeated Pompeius during the civil war, possibly the second greatest Roman general there has been (thus where is the option?!
If you take into account the way Pompey conducted the campaign against Caesar prior to Pharsalus, the strategy of attrition, the defeat of Caesar at Dyrrachium, it was a testament to Caesar that he was able to beat Pompey at Pharsalus. Of course, having had the best of Caesar over a period of six months, Pompey's decision to fight that day was pretty inexcusable and it was his character that let him down.
Pompey virtually created the Roman empire in the East. Numerous threats to Roman power were averted because of this man, Sertorius (another extremely brilliant general), Mithridates, the Pirates, Tigranes, Lepidus etc etc. He may not have been the most tactically astute general but he was a solid tactician and a brilliant strategist. Caesar gets my vote because even when he was in utterly dire straights, he could still produce victory from somewhere.
Under the patronage of the Great GodEmperor Nicholas. Fallen Triumvir - Departed since 28-05-2005.
'Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.' - Herman Goering
In Vino Veritas - 'In wine there is truth'
Patron of: Aves, Arcaliea
Lurks
You fail to ackknowledge Lucius Lucinus Lucullus, another great Roman general, and he was the one that annihalated Pontus at last and destroyed Tigranes' massive army. I love L³, his aggressive approach to war and his daring mark him as one of my favorite generals.
Pompey finally destroyed the power of Mithridates, although the extent of which he was already defeated by Lucullus is debatable. Various political trickery meant that Lucullus wasn't given the chance to completely prove his worth his 'greatness' by eradicating the Power of Pontus. I think it was more a case of man management that meant that Lucullus was never a truly great general, because from ancient accounts you get the impression that he was deeply disliked by his men and didn't inspire the kind of loyalty that Pompey, Caesar, Marius et commanded. But yes, he was a tactically brilliant general, but so were Sertorius, Themistocles and Xenophon, and we never remember them.
Under the patronage of the Great GodEmperor Nicholas. Fallen Triumvir - Departed since 28-05-2005.
'Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.' - Herman Goering
In Vino Veritas - 'In wine there is truth'
Patron of: Aves, Arcaliea
Lurks
Yes, quite true about the last part. Although I find the greatness of Xenophon debatable. But that is based on opinion.
-_-
"If I was going to select a General out of those given, I would choose Alexander the Great, he lead from the front, fought with his men, and he was a master tactician."
Very true but so did Hannibal. The reasons i would vote for Alexander The Great would be:
His age.
He was never defeated by a foe. He defeated himself.
The numbers he overcame.
This influence of his empire on latter day.
The potential scale of his empire if he had survived.
He led from the front.
His tactics.
Alexander The Great. nof said
For the glory of Hellas
Greeks don't fight like heroes, heroes fight like greeks.
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Achaemenid Persia was larger
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