10 Greatest Leaders in the History of World Civilization

The history of human civilization is filled with outstanding figures who have led their nations to
lasting glory, progress, and legacy. From Alexander the Great to King Tut, here are ten of the
greatest leaders in the history of world civilization who have left an unforgettable mark:

1. Alexander the Great Alexander III of Macedon (356–323 BC)

better known Alexander the Great. He is remembered as one of the best military leaders of all
time for his prowess in strategic warfare. He founded more than 70 cities during his 13-year
reign, including Persia, Asia Minor, and Macedonia. His prowess inspired the courage and
loyalty of his troops, he adopted many foreign customs and traditions to rule over millions of his
subjects. Alexander was only 32 years old when he died of fever in Babylon, Babylon (now
around Baghdad, Iraq) in June 323 BC. Read also: Traces of The Scarface Al Capone, Ruler of
the US Black World.
Alexander III of Macedon, better known as Alexander the Great (21 July 356 BC – 10 or 11 June
323 BC), was the son of King Philip II of Macedon. Alexander ascended the throne as king after
his father's death in 336 BC and went on to conquer most of the known world of his time. The
title 'Great' after his name expresses recognition of both Alexander's military genius and
diplomatic prowess when dealing with the diverse native populations of conquered territories. In
addition to this recognition, Alexander also had a reputation as a propagator of Greek culture,
language, and (philosophical) thought throughout Asia Minor, Egypt, Mesopotomia to India, as
well as an early mover of the beginning of the era called history with the "Hellenistic World."

2. Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan was most famous for his destructive tendencies against his enemies, but he was
also a great military leader. Khan was the founder of the Mongol Empire, the largest land-based
empire the world has ever seen. Given the size of his squad, the level of discipline and training
he instilled was remarkable. His ability to discipline, as well as the anger that could be inflicted
if he was betrayed, made him a very great leader.
Genghis Khan was born Temüjin sometime between 1162 and 1167, the eldest son of Yesügei,
chief of the Kiyad (Kiyan) tribe. Yesügei's surname is Borjigin (Borjigid). Temujin is named
after the leader of the enemy killed by his father.
Temujin was born in the mountainous area of Burhan Haldun, close to the Onon and Herlen
rivers. Temujin's mother, Hoelun, was from the Olkhunut tribe. Their lives moved around like
the Turks of Central Asia. When he was 9 years old, Temujin was sent out of his tribe because he
was going to be betrothed to Borte, the daughter of the Onggirat tribe. Temujin's father Yesugei
died of Tatar poisoning just as he was returning home after escorting Temujin to the Onggirat
tribe.
Temujin was called home to meet his father. Yesugei gave Temujin a message to avenge him
and destroy the Tatars in the future. Temujin's life worsened after his power as the successor of
the chieftain was usurped by others on the grounds that Temujin's age was too young. Temujin
and his family were expelled from his tribe because he feared that he would reclaim his right to
rule over the Borjigin tribe. Temujin and his family's lives suffered greatly. With very limited
food supplies, he and his younger siblings lived by hunting. When he reached adolescence, the
Borjigin chieftain sent troops to kill Temujin.

3. Boudicca
Boadicea or Boudica was the wife of the Celtic leader of the Iceni tribe, Prasutagus. She
famously won a battle against the Roman Ninth Legion, after they tried to take over the tribe
following her husband's death. He then went on to plunder several cities in Roman Britain,
before being defeated by a Roman army led by Paulinus in 60 AD. Charlemagne, the Ruler of
Medieval Europe Who Converted His People to Christianity.
Boudica's husband, Prasutagus, was the ruler of the Iceni tribe. He ruled as an ally of an
independent Rome and in his will wanted his kingdom to be ruled jointly by his daughters and
the Roman emperor. However, after he died, his will was ignored and his kingdom was annexed
by the Romans as if it had been conquered. Boudica was whipped, her daughters raped, and
Roman financiers collected their debts.
In 60 or 61, while the Roman governor Gaius Suetonius Paulinus was leading a military
campaign on the island of Anglesey, Boudica led the Iceni, Trinovantes, and other tribes in a
major rebellion. [2] They succeeded in destroying Camulodunum (now Colchester).
Camulodunum was originally the capital of the Trinovantes, but was then a colonia (settlement
for decommissioned Roman soldiers) as well as the site of a temple to former Roman Emperor
Claudius. Upon hearing of the rebellion, Suetonius rushed to Londinium (present-day London), a
twenty-year-old commercial settlement that became the rebels' next target.

4. Mark Antony
Known as a Roman politician and lover of the Egyptian queen, Cleopatra, Mark Antony was a
great leader because of his ability to make rousing speeches. He could rally the citizens of Rome
and its surroundings with his oratory skills, and used logic and emotion to influence people. He
most famously turned the tide of popularity against those who had assassinated Julius Caesar,
whose administrative team he was on and with whom he was in contact.
Marcus Antonius (14 January 83 BC – 1 August 30 BC), commonly known in English as Mark
Antony,[1] was a Roman politician and general who played an important role in the
transformation of the Roman Republic from a constitutional republic to an autocratic republic.
Roman Empire .
Antony was a relative and supporter of Julius Caesar, and served as one of his generals during
the conquest of Gaul and the Civil War. Antony was appointed administrator of Italy while
Caesar eliminated political opponents in Greece, North Africa, and Spain. After Caesar's
assassination in 44 BC, Antony joined forces with Lepidus, one of Caesar's other generals, and
Octavian, Caesar's nephew and adopted son, to form a three-man dictatorship known to
historians as the Second Triad. The Triumvirs defeated Caesar's assassins, the Liberatores, at the
Battle of Philippi in 42 BC, and divided the government of the Republic among themselves.
Antony was assigned to the eastern provinces of Rome, including his client's kingdom of Egypt,
which was later ruled by Cleopatra VII Philopator, and given command in Rome's war against
the Parthians.

5. Cleopatra
Cleopatra VII Philopator was ruler of Egypt from 51-30 AD and is famous for her independence.
In a world where men ruled, he exerted impressive influence and control over Egypt. He was the
only member of his dynasty who ruled Egypt for quite a long time, having learned the difficult
Egyptian language. Thus, he was able to interact with his people on a much deeper level than his
ancestors could. Read also: July 13 in History: The Birth of Julius Caesar, the Roman Ruler, in
100 BC.
Cleopatra VII Filopator (Greek: Κλεοπᾰ́τρᾱ Φιλοπάτωρ, Kleopátrā Filopátōr;[ 5] b. 69 BC – d.
10 or 12 August 30 BC)[note 2] was the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt.
[note 4] Cleopatra was also a diplomat, admiral, administrator, polyglot,[note 5] and poet of
medicine. [6] As the daughter of the Ptolemaic dynasty, Cleopatra was descended from the
founder of her family, Ptolemy I Soter, one of the former Greek Macedonian dukes and retinue
of Alexander the Great. After Cleopatra's death, Egypt was made one of the provinces of the
Roman Empire. This change in Egypt's status marked the end of the Hellenistic Age that began
during the reign of Alexander the Great (336–323 BC). [note 6] His mother tongue was Koine
Greek, and he was the first ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty to learn Egyptian. [note 5]
In 58 BC, Cleopatra allegedly lived with her father, Ptolemy XII, who lived in exile in Rome
after being deposed from the throne through rebellion by Berenike IV, the eldest daughter of
Ptolemy XII. Berenike IV was executed in 55 BC after Ptolemy XII returned to Egypt with a
Roman army to restore his power. After the death of Ptolemy XII in 51 BC, Cleopatra and her
younger brother, Ptolemy XIII, ascended the throne to become joint rulers.
6. Alaric of the Visigoths
Alaric was king of the Visigoths (the western branch of nomadic Germanic tribes) from 394-410
A.D. He was the king who successfully invaded Rome and plundered the city for 3 days, the first
time in nearly 800 years that Rome fell into the hands of a foreign power. As St. Jerome, who
was living in Bethlehem at the time, said, "The city that had taken the whole world itself was
taken."
Alaric, (born c. 370, Peuce Island [now in Romania]—died 410, Cosentia, Bruttium [now
Cosenza, Italy]), head of the Visigoths from 395 and leader of the army that sacked Rome in
August 410, an event symbolizing the fall of the Western Roman Empire.
A nobleman by birth, Alaric once served as commander of the Gothic army in the Roman army,
but shortly after the death of emperor Theodosius I in 395, he left the army and was elected head
of the Visigoths. Alleging that his tribe was not given the subsidies promised by the Romans,
Alaric moved westward towards Constantinople (now Istanbul) until he was diverted by Roman
troops. He then moved south to Greece, where he sacked Piraeus (the port of Athens) and
destroyed Corinth, Megara, Argos, and Sparta. Eastern Emperor Flavius Arcadius finally
pacified the Visigoths in 397, probably by appointing Alaric magister militum ("ruler of
warriors") in Illyricum.

7. Cyrus the Great

Perhaps less famous than others, Cyrus II was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire, centered
in Persia. The Persians he ruled praised him as a wise and capable leader, and this legacy
continued until his death, when Xenophon (Greek philosopher and student of Socrates) chose
Cyrus to be called an exemplary leader in his Cyropaedia. It is said that he was a father figure to
his subjects, and in the Bible is referred to as the liberator of the Jews taken captive in Babylonia,
indicating his reputation as a generous and ideal king.
He was Cyrus the Great the founder of the Persian Empire. Beginning his career as a lowly
official in southwestern Iran, he repelled – through brilliant battle victories – the three great
empires (Medes, Lydians, and Babylonians), and united almost the entire old Middle East into a
single state stretching from India to the Mediterranean.
Cyrus (or Kurush as he was Persian) was born around 590 BC in the province of Persis (present-
day Fars), in southwestern Iran. This area was then a province of the Kingdom of Medes. Cyrus
came from the descendants of local rulers who were subordinates of the King of the Medes.
The Medes and Persians were close to each other, both because of their origins and linguistic
similarities. Since Cyrus continued most of the Medes' laws and most of the administrative
procedures of the government, his victory over the Medes was merely a dynastic change rather
than a foreign conquest.
However, Cyrus soon expressed his desire to make conquests outward. His first target was the
Lydian Kingdom of Asia Minor, ruled by King Croesus, a man whose wealth was like a fairy
tale. Cyrus' iron pales in comparison to Croesus' gold. By 546 BC Cyrus conquered the Lydian
Kingdom and imprisoned Croesus.
Cyrus then turned his attention to the eastern major, and in a series of battles, he conquered all of
eastern Iran and incorporated it into his royal domain. In 540 BC, the Persian Empire stretched
east as far as the Indus River and Jaxartes (present-day Syr Darya in Central Asia).

8. August
Augustus (originally known as Gaius Octavius) is recognized as the founder of the Roman
Empire and was the first Emperor. He was known as a great military strategist, having defeated
his rivals Mark Antony and Marcus Lepidus, to take complete control of Rome and its Empire.
He was also an astute politician and helped turn Rome into a great city over the following
centuries. As the biographer Suetonius reported, "I found Rome out of bricks. I leave to you one
of the marble."
Augustus (63 BC–AD 14), an interesting and controversial figure, is perhaps the most important
figure in Roman history, surpassing his predecessor Julius Caesar in terms of longevity and
power.
"Augustus was one of the great emperors who built part of Roman power. He was born with
many names. Augustus' birth name was Gaius Octavius," NS Gill wrote.

9. Hannibal
Hannibal Barca of Carthage was a military leader who won many victories over the Romans.
Raised by his father, he was made to hate Roma from a young age and was constantly involved
in battles against the Roma people during his adult life. It is said he had slept with his men in the
open and starved with them when supplies ran low, his troops put full trust in him. As a result,
they followed his orders unconditionally until his assassination in 221 BC.
Hannibal grew out of the swearing of his father, Hamilcar Barca who promised to always fight
the Romans. Naturally, Carthage, which became the kingdom led by Hamiclar, was conquered
by the Romans at the first battle of Punicia.
The deaths of his father in 228 BC and his brother seven years later, made Hannibal commander
of all the Carthaginian forces in the Iberian Peninsula. At that time, he was only 26 years old!
The expansion of Carthage, which had been carried out since the era of Hamilcar to the Iberian
Peninsula, made it easier for Hannibal to lead his army in locking the Roman advance. This is
what makes the senators of Rome begin to worry.
"Hannibal quickly consolidated power in Spain, turning the coastal city of Cartagena (New
Carthage) into the base of his family's military and economic power and pushing the Romans out
of the West," Bileta said.
To counter Hannibal's rule in Cartagena, the Romans allied themselves with the city of
Saguntum. However, according to Hannibal the alliance of Rome and Saguntum was an act of
violation, that Saguntum should still belong to Carthage.

10. Tutankhamen
Although King Tutankhamen was only about 18 or 19 years old at the time of his death, his
status as a great leader was gained through the achievements he made during his 9-year reign.
King Tut's main success was to reinstall the traditional polytheistic religion of Egypt after his
ascension, after his father promoted the worship of only the Sun God Aten, and forbade the
worship of other gods. The new religion was deeply unpopular in Egypt, and Tutankhamen's
decision to reverse the polytheistic religion made him a widely recognized leader.
Nebkheperure Tutankhamun (sometimes spelled Tuten-, -amen, -ammon) was a Pharaoh of the
Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt (r. 1333 BC – 1324 BC), during the so-called New Kingdom of
Egypt. His original name, Tutankhaten, means "living incarnation of Aten", while Tutankhamun
means "living incarnation of Amun". In 1922, his tomb was discovered by Howard Carter and
since then Tutankhamun has become a popular icon of Ancient Egyptian civilization. The world
has seen the
In February 2010, DNA test results confirmed that she was the son of Akhenaten (mummy
KV55) and his sister/wife (mummy KV35YL), whose name is unknown but positively identified
as the mummy "Young Lady" found on KV35.
Rohan is a member of the son of Akhenaten (formerly Amenhotep IV) and one of Akhenaten's
brothers. As a prince, he was known as Tutankhaten. He came to power in 1333 BC, at the age of
nine or ten, under the reign name Tutankhamun. His caretaker was a woman named Maia, known
from her tomb in Saqqara.
When he became king, he married his half-brother, Ankhesenpaaten, who later changed his name
to Ankhesenamun. They have two daughters. A study released in 2011, revealed that one of her
daughters died at 5-6 months gestation while the other at 9 months gestation. No evidence was
found of any of the anomalous mummies or a clear cause of death.

The greatest leaders in history, from Alexander the Great to King Tut, left an unforgettable mark
through their courage, wisdom and vision, providing a valuable legacy that continues to inspire
and teach generations to come.
From Alexander the Great conquering vast territories to King Tutankhamun with his rich tomb
relics, these ten leaders created profound changes in the history of civilization, embodying
leadership through courage, strategy and an enduring legacy.