Favorite Greek Hero?

[Templar Hospitaller]

Achilles? Herakles? Perseus? Theseus? Leonidas? Miltiades? Maybe even Oedipus?
Who was your favorite Greek Hero? Mine was Alexander the Great.

[Antiochos VII Sidetes]

Ehm...

Mythologically? Probably Diomedes.

[ROFL Copter]

Tough one, maybe Alexander or Thumisticles.

[Spartan198]

Mythological: Achilles, no contest.

Historical: Leonidas I & Alexander III tied.

[The Wicked]

Historical Alexander The Great, his father Philippos, Meltiades, Themistocles, Leonidas

Mythical Hercules first by far..... Achileus, Ajax(xmmm...mythical?)Thyseus,

[Seleucos of Olympia]

Mythological, Perseus.

Historical, it's more difficult to define "hero". Is it someone with "heroic" lineage? A great hero in the modern sense of the word (ordinary person doing extraordinary things)? Both?

I'll answer Timoleon, but mostly because he's less famous than he deserves.

[Blue_Hoplite85]

pericles, leonidas and Alexander

[Phalanx300]

Leonidas, I really found it fascinating that he choose to stay behind, knowing that death would be certain all in order for his nation. A great men indeed. The Hippeis and Thespians as well. Worthy of being remember as heros.

Also I don't really like Alexander that much:

First of all he sacked Thebes, something I can't respect. The same with Tyre.

I also like Phillip more, he was the one who created the nation and army Alexander used, without him he would be nothing.

[ROFL Copter]

Leonidas, I really found it fascinating that he choose to stay behind, knowing that death would be certain all in order for his nation. A great men indeed. The Hippeis and Thespians as well. Worthy of being remember as heros.

Also I don't really like Alexander that much:

First of all he sacked Thebes, something I can't respect. The same with Tyre.

I also like Phillip more, he was the one who created the nation and army Alexander used, without him he would be nothing.

Alexander didnt intend to sack Thebes, it was more of an acident that his men played out. Tyre deserved to be sacked as they mocked and insulted the Greeks constantly, something no commander in ancient history would have taken; Philip too would have sacked the city. Yes Philip did create the unbreakable and perfect army, but was not a great enough man besides his genius to pull it off. Alexander was more charismatic and could get people to love him to death, while Philip was seen as a mere mortal king and no more. Alexander was respected to the point where he proclamed himself a god and his nation accepted it without a thought, though it is true that it led him to become insane and eventually murdered. It is more acurate to say that Alexander could not have conqured the world without Philip's army, but Macedon could not have been great without Alexander.

[Templar Hospitaller]

Alexander didnt intend to sack Thebes, it was more of an acident that his men played out. Tyre deserved to be sacked as they mocked and insulted the Greeks constantly, something no commander in ancient history would have taken; Philip too would have sacked the city. Yes Philip did create the unbreakable and perfect army, but was not a great enough man besides his genius to pull it off. Alexander was more charismatic and could get people to love him to death, while Philip was seen as a mere mortal king and no more. Alexander was respected to the point where he proclamed himself a god and his nation accepted it without a thought, though it is true that it led him to become insane and eventually murdered. It is more acurate to say that Alexander could not have conqured the world without Philip's army, but Macedon could not have been great without Alexander.

He didn't go insane. And we don't know if he was murdered. Though it is very unlikely. They think he died when an arrow wound he received in india got infected. But the rest of your statement is very true. He was one of the kindest conquerors in history, letting the people he conquered worship there own gods, keep their own government as long as it gave tribute and respect to Alexander, etc.

[thebigsalad]

He didn't go insane. And we don't know if he was murdered. Though it is very unlikely. They think he died when an arrow wound he received in india got infected. But the rest of your statement is very true. He was one of the kindest conquerors in history, letting the people he conquered worship there own gods, keep their own government as long as it gave tribute and respect to Alexander, etc.

Or maybe his death had something to do with his raging alcoholism.

My favourite Hero: it has to be Odysseus.
Although Theseus and Perseus are very close.

Oh and historically: Xenophon.

[ROFL Copter]

He didn't go insane. And we don't know if he was murdered. Though it is very unlikely. They think he died when an arrow wound he received in india got infected. But the rest of your statement is very true. He was one of the kindest conquerors in history, letting the people he conquered worship there own gods, keep their own government as long as it gave tribute and respect to Alexander, etc.

Yes, he was on the edge of insanity,with all of the loss and lonliness he was feeling. There is also a very good chance that he was poisoned in some way, there were many people who would do it. By the end of his life, most of the army silently hated him for pushing them so far for so long.

[Templar Hospitaller]

By the end of his life, most of the army silently hated him for pushing them so far for so long.

No way my friend. Any one of them would have gladly died for him. He wasn't just their commander, he was their comrade. He was their friend. And they loved him unquestionably. He turned back because they wanted him too. Not because they forced him. Their is no evidence that shows that any of his men "silently hated him".

[Phalanx300]

Well, Macedon not being great without Alexander? I doubt it, though we will never know =).

The Spartans also, as far as I know always had respect for their enemies, not sacking their cities when they had the chance to.

[Templar Hospitaller]

you guys seem to forget the genius of Alexander. Phillip lost a few battles, while Alexander never lost a battle... ever. Greatest commander of all time. Do me a favor and look up the battle of Gaugamela.

He also actually fought on the front lines, unlike Phillip. Not just a great commander, but a great soldier as well.

[Phalanx300]

you guys seem to forget the genius of Alexander. Phillip lost a few battles, while Alexander never lost a battle... ever. Greatest commander of all time. Do me a favor and look up the battle of Gaugamela.

I know of his battles . Though most people always underestimate Phillip, he had the brains to turn sheepherders in proffesional soldiers with long pikes never seen before and with a elite cavalry arm.

And he showed quite some tactics at Chaoronea. With his right wing moving back so that his cavalry could pass through the enemy line and use hammer and anvil.

Edit: And didn't Phillip fought at well with the infantry at Chaoronea?

[Templar Hospitaller]

Edit: And didn't Phillip fought at well with the infantry at Chaoronea?

Yes, but not on the front lines.

[Phalanx300]

Mmm, I'm not so sure about it right now. I remember reading that he fought at the right with the Hypaspists.

And kings fighting with the infantry at the front rank isn't that weird. Spartans kings did it as well I believe.

[jakobh94]

Mythical/Real - Ajax (or if it is Ayax in english?) I really liked him when my dad read out of Homeros books when i was a kid. Sad that he threw himself on a sword just because he didnt get Achilles armor -.- I find that really weird.

Real - I would say .... Hoplites, any kind. They all drew out the Persian forces, and those my friends, were biiiiig!

[M. T. Cicero]

My myth favorite is Odysseus, because he is the political more interesting character. Achilles decides battles, but Odysseus decides wars. Athena said to Odysseus, Troy can't conquered with her statue in Troy. Achilles is just the warrior, he only could think "Error". But the artful Odysseus crept through the sewage to steal the statue of Athena. Achilles is in the middle of the battle, fighting for honor. Odysseus stands in the background to win the war. It is simply a great figure.

My historical favorite is Perikles. He is the same smart character. I like the thought how the history could be, if he survived the Peloponnesian War