The Greatest Stories of All Time

[Fight!]

Throughout history, there have been instances where men performed legendary feats, where armies were lead to victory when all seemed lost, and where the impossible was made possible.

What are your favorite stories from the history of our planet? it can be a specific event, or a story in general about a person, place or thing.

Off the top of my head I can think of:
The Story of the 47 Ronin where 47 Ronin patiently plotted revenge and accepted seppuku as punishment for doing so.
Miyamoto Musashi, a legendary samurai who was said to have never lost.

[merlinuscdxx]

Xenophon's Anabasis aka "The March of the Ten Thousand"- the tale of a group of Greek mercenaries' flight through hostile Persian and Caucasian territory with minimal supplies, starting at Sardis to fight a battle in Cunaxa on the Tigris (near modern Baghdad), winning the battle but losing their patron, fighting every step of the way during the harrowing retreat, and making it out alive at the shores of the Black Sea in Trapezous (modern-day Trabzon, Turkey)


map of Xenophon's route in blue dotted line, the interesting part is where it turns North

[gaius valerius]

starting at Sardis to fight a battle in Cunaxa on the Tigris (near modern Baghdad), losing the battle,

Hold your horses: they won the battle. Of course... Cyrus died, but that wasn't their fault at all. He screwed up and they were left to their own devices.

[cupoftea]

The Illias of Homerus i think is a great story

[merlinuscdxx]

Hold your horses: they won the battle. Of course... Cyrus died, but that wasn't their fault at all. He screwed up and they were left to their own devices.

You're right. That's what I get for typing after coming home from the pub. Post edited.

[gaius valerius]

You're right. That's what I get for typing after coming home from the pub. Post edited.

Anyways I'll second the Anabasis as one of the most spectacular stories of all times.

Has anyone ever heard of the (Tartar) Khan's Englisman? That guy has quite the spectacular story.

[pannonian]

Anyways I'll second the Anabasis as one of the most spectacular stories of all times.

Has anyone ever heard of the (Tartar) Khan's Englisman? That guy has quite the spectacular story.

Was that the guy who fled from religious persecution in Europe, found his way to the Mongols, took up service with the Khans, went on Subedei's expedition to Europe, and was eventually captured by the Hungarians?

Genghis' life story was quite dramatic, to rise from the low that he started from, to reach where he ended with, and his adventures in between.

[Akrotatos]

merlinuscdxx answered my favourite before me...

[IronBrig4]

Ibn Battuta's Rihla. He was a Berber traveler whose original intent was to make a pilgrimage from Fez to Mecca. After that he decided to travel throughout East Africa, Anatolia, Mesopotamia, Persia, India, al-Andalus, West Africa, and possibly China.

[iudas]

The Battle of Kosovopolje, 1389. The legend of the assassination of Murad I always moves me. Pity the battle is used as for propaganda by Serbian nationalists.

[awalanche]

The Battle of Kosovopolje, 1389. The legend of the assassination of Murad I always moves me. Pity the battle is used as for propaganda by Serbian nationalists.

Thats good. Murad I was the only Ottoman Sultan died in battlefield.

Apart them battle of Ankara between Bayezid and Timur the Lame.

And the siege of Malta

[Akrotatos]

Another spectacular story should be El Cid's. From champion, exile and then Lord of Valencia. That's badass

[CobraStallone]

Another spectacular story should be El Cid's. From champion, exile and then Lord of Valencia. That's badass

Yeah, and also the most noble of all knights, admired by spaniards and moors alike.

[cupoftea]

I think Belisarius had a pretty sad story too

[Aonghus G. Friedhold]

I'll third the Anabasis, and add King Arthur to the mix.

[Odovacar]

I told that story here on twc 2 times (the englishman of the khan)

[†LøD† Hussarknight]

The legendary battle of thermopylae for sure, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Thermopylae.

[EireEmerald]

jesus

[Akrotatos]

jesus

That's cheating, he was the son of God afterall. I find Mohammed far more impressing: a normal trader that married a rich widow and formed one of the biggest religions of modern world.

[Ishoss]

I always thought the Norwegian at Stamford Bridge was a great story