Great Leaders of the Ancient World

From History of the Hellenistic and Roman World

Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus (236 - 184 BCE)

The greatest Roman General, and perhaps the greatest general of the ancient world. During the Second Punic Wars, he led the Roman armies to success, first in Spain and later against the great punic general Hannibal. The most famous person of his age of whom it was said that "one man alone was the prop of the Roman Empire", he was instrumental in shaping the policies that made Rome the unchallenged mistress of the Mediterranean.

Gaius Julius Caesar (100 - 44 BCE)

The most famous Roman general and statesman, conqueror of Gaul (58 - 50 BCE) who brought about the effective end of the Republic. After building up an army in Gaul, Caesar marched against the Senate in 49 BCE, and defeated his rival Gnaeus Pompeus Magnus at the battle of Pharsalus. As dictator of Rome, he launched a series of political and social reforms before he was assasinated by a group of nobles in the Senate House on the Ides of March.