Greatest Warriors Throughout History
Published in Education at March 22nd, 2017 at 10:12 AM
Throughout history there are tales of heroes and warriors that could take a lifetime to read, but we’re going to do it for you. These warriors are the most famous and battle hardened of all time. It will surprise you to hear of some of their feats but they will go down in history for their achievements
20. Alaric the Visigoth
Alaric was a Visigoth king who has the distinction of being the one who sacked Rome. That upgraded him to an honorary Roman civilian and magister militum, “master of soldiers,” making him a valued member of the Roman Empire. Following the sack of Rome, Alaric headed toward Africa but a storm wrecked his ships. Only Mother Nature could defeat Alaric the Barbarian.
19. Count Rolland
Roland was a great French warrior and a medieval folk hero who was immortalized in poem. According to legend he was killed in a pass in the Pyrenees when Basques cut off the rear guard of the Frankish army returning from its invasion of Spain
18. Horatius Cocles
Horatius Cocles was a legendary Roman hero who defended the bridge across the Tiber when the city was attacked by the Etruscans. Horatius lost his eye in a battle thanks to an arrow that he removed (with his eye still on it) and continued fighting like a beast, hence the name “Cocles,” which means “one eyed.
17. Vercingetorix
Revered in France as its first national hero, Vercingetorix managed to unite several sovereign Celtic tribes to do battle against the aggressive Romans. He battled valiantly and ferociously to keep the Roman army from overrunning Gaul, as France was then called.
16. William Wallace
William Wallace became famous worldwide thanks to Mel Gibson’s Braveheart, but those who know European history already knew what a great warrior the legendary Scotsman was. Wallace is considered one of the most significant Scottish national heroes for fighting to his death to free Scotland from English rule.
15. Basil the 2nd
Basil “the Bulgar-Slayer” was one of the most brutal, ruthless emperors in history, thus his nickname. At his death, the empire stretched from Southern Italy to the Caucasus and from the Danube to the borders of Palestine, and trust us, its conquest included lots of bloody battles in which Basil II was always fighting
14. Attila the Hun
Attila the Hun was born in what is today Hungary and became one of the most violent and merciless rulers of the area. He was notorious for his fierce gaze and according to historian Edward Gibbon, he frequently rolled his eyes as if in pleasure at the terror he inspired. He also terrorized his enemies by claiming to own the sword of Ares, the Greek god of war, and judging from his vicious attacks and battles against the Roman Empire, his intimidation tactics worked just fine.
13. Yue Fei
Yue Fei: Yue Fei fought in 126 battles, mainly in central China over 25 years,, and never lost a single encounter. Further, he rose through the ranks from private to Overall Commander of the Imperial Forces, invented many martial arts styles, and wrote a bunch of epic poetry about how he was going to kick his enemies’ asses Nowadays he is regarded as a national hero in China and the ultimate symbol of integrity, patriotism, and loyalty.
12. Eric Bloodaxe
Erik Bloodaxe was a Norwegian prince and the last independent king of York. He became king of the Northumbrians twice. He is considered one of the most legendary names in Viking history thanks to his incredible skill and bravery on the battlefield and his warrior spirit.
11. Arminius
Arminius was a German chief during the early part of the first century, and is remembered for being a brutal warrior and a certified badass who gave the Romans the beating of their lives at the Battle of Teutoburg Forest, where he literally destroyed three Roman legions and their auxiliaries. Even though Arminius was finally defeated and murdered, his victory at that battle was so impressive—and so bloody—that it had an incredible long-term effect on both the ancient Germanic tribes and the Roman Empire.
10. Miltiades
The sacrifice of King Leonidas and the three hundred brave Spartans wouldn’t mean much if it wasn’t for Miltiades, the brilliant Athenian military strategist and statesman led the Athenians and their allies to victory over the Persians at the Battle of Marathon where he literally destroyed the Persian fleet and forced the most powerful empire in the world at the time to retreat in shame and return home.
9. Vlad the Impaler
Very few people in history have cast more terror into the human heart than Vlad the Impaler, or as he’s better known, Dracula. The man who became a legend and regarded as the Lord of Darkness was a real person and, for that matter, a hell of a warrior. As for the reason he is remembered as the Impaler? He showed no mercy to his enemies, whom he impaled, and according to legend he drank their blood too.
8. Sun Tzu
Skilled and experienced in warfare matters during a time of unprecedented political and military turmoil, Sun Tzu was a military specialist active during the turbulent late Chou dynasty. However, he became a legend for writing about Chinese military strategy and martial arts in The Art of War, a book that continues to have an immense impact on both Asian and Western culture.
7. Spartacus
Undoubtedly the most famous and skilled gladiator who ever lived, Spartacus was one of the slave leaders in the Third Servile War, a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic. No other individual terrorized the powerful republic the way he did.
6. Hannibal Barca
Hannibal was meant to re-conquer many of the conquered lands of his time once he became an adult. It is believe that Hannibal was one of the greatest generals and military leaders of the ancient world and a brilliant strategist, who developed tactics of outflanking and surrounding the enemy with the combined forces of infantry and cavalry.
5. Richard the Lionheart
Richard was king of England, later known as the “Lionheart,” and famous for his exploits in the Third Crusade, although during his ten-year reign he spent only six months in England. He is described as an extremely skilled warrior who showed no mercy to his enemies and his most famous attribute was his courage and daring.
4. Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar is arguably the most famous and successful Roman statesman and general in history and was the one who led the Rome’s army in numerous victorious battles that expanded its territory. Further, he wrote about his military adventures from which we learn about his genius and bravery on the battlefield.
3. Leonidas of Sparta
Leonidas was one of the most ferocious military leaders in history: the three hundred Spartan hoplites. He’s remembered best for his unmatched boldness and fearless character, and rumor has it that during the end of the battle of Thermopylae he remained alone fighting against hundreds of thousands of Persian soldiers before he was killed.
2. Genghis Khan
The “Mongol destroyer,” as he’s known, set in motion the conquest of a quarter of the world’s population and is widely considered one of the greatest vanquishers of all time. His people believed that he was the greatest man of all time and that he was sent from heaven, which is the reason why he was known as the “Holy Warrior.”
1. Alexander the Great
Though he died at age thirty-three, the famous Greek king managed to conquer most of the then-known world and this is the reason why most historians consider him the greatest general who ever lived. He also fought on the front lines of every battle (unlike many other kings who just watched their troops fighting). He remained undefeated and took over every major kingdom of his day, such as Persia, India, and Egypt, among others, and he was the first king to spread Greek, and thus Western, civilization to other parts of the world.
