Historical Who Am I Riddles

[Kilo11]

I didn't know this was a real guy, but I also know him from fiction; there is an issue of The Sandman comics about the madman who thinks himself Emperor of America (the comics are written by Neil Gaiman, and astoundingly well done; seriously, go read those comics now!). I never knew that was based on an actual guy. The more you know, eh?

[Cookiegod]

Legend had me called the descendant of a god, I founded and destroyed many cities, built and expanded an empire, was an innovator, an inventor and a builder. I led my men into many wars, with mixed success. In the incessant internal power struggles I was disliked by the rich, I tried rather unsuccessfully to maintain a democratic facade, yet no one was in doubt who was in charge and so I was called a tyrant.
My empire didn't last much beyond my life.

[ggggtotalwarrior]

I’m lost so I’m gonna guess Qin Shi Huangi Di

[Lord Oda Nobunaga]

Yeah I don't get it... Alexander?

I think a hint is in order.

[Cookiegod]

No one thinks of his realm as an empire, as it was more of a city state/confederation. Though given that another city state/confederation partially overlapping his time is frequently called such, it's not that bad of a term.

[Derc]

Good ol' Pyrrhos, I'd say.

[Sar1n]

Huh. Pericles?

[Kilo11]

What about Dionysius of Syracuse?

[Cookiegod]

Dionysios I. of Syracuse is correct.

Kilo has the floor.

[Kilo11]

Hah. I had actually written Dionysius I of Syracuse, but wanted to hedge my bets and be unclear, so I edited the "I" out. And now, for the next riddle:

---

I was bold as the brass of my buttons,
Less clever than the horse that I rode.
In my schooling I yawned at the lessons,
Preferring a more devilish code.

Yet despite my deplorable condition,
I was blessed with a land split by war.
They gave me an unearned commission,
And sent me to drill the new corps.

My last act was after my fashion,
A deed both daring and dumb.
Now I and my men all lay broken
And not one will ever go home.

[Sar1n]

George Armstrong Custer?

[Kilo11]

Are you serious? Was it really that easy? Well, I guess Sa1n has the floor... again.

[Sar1n]

Are you serious? Was it really that easy? Well, I guess Sa1n has the floor... again.

Well, yeah. Custer is first guy to come to mind when I think of bold and stupidly arrogant cavalry commanders. Isn't there even a song about Little Big Horn?

[Sar1n]

I'm sorry, but I totally forgot about this.

Can someone take this turn? I'm afraid I won't be much active for next week or two, and definitely not in mood for games.

[Cookiegod]

I became a politician thanks to my fathers wealth and connections. I have been said to be in favour of a democracy, yet I murdered my ally once my rebellion had succeeded, because he was more popular than I. My rebellion, upended a world and brought it decades of instability, from which it would never truly recover. I managed to get exiled more than once by different people. Once I'd seized power, it wasn't long before I ended up getting murdered myself. I married my niece - twice. She had before that been married to her other uncle. After my death, my "friend" promised to take care of my sister, my niece/wife, and my son. He did so by drowning them.

In spite of this track record I was mostly portrayed favourably, even as an idealist. My friendship with a very famous philosopher helped in that regard.

[Kilo11]

This is an interesting set of hints... As a first guess, what about Prince William of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld?

[Cookiegod]

no, not at all.

[Cookiegod]

A hint: When the answer becomes known, your likely reaction should be: "omg this was so obvious I should have known he'd post this guy."

[Cookiegod]

We're looking for a person who lived in the Mediterranean during the antiquity.

[Lord Oda Nobunaga]

Claudius?