The Greatest of the Great?

[Mongoloid Cow]

I voted Darius, but i'd take Cyrus over him.

btw for a full list see here

That list is not complete. Not only that, but ti includes "The Great Houdini" and "Ronald the Great" (Ronald Reagan)

EDIT: How did you vote Darius because he has no votes at the moment?

 

[Neonanocyborgasm]

Throughout history, there has been a title which has been saved for those whose accomplishments rise above all others. The title of 'The Great' is given to those who have molded the fate of their countries for centuries afterwards. Whether it be the modernisation of a country like Peter the Great, or the actual creation of a national identity like Alfred the Great.
I've made a poll of several leaders who have been able to obtain the title but feel free to add in any of those I've missed!

Among the choices, Alexander is definitely the one with the most influence. Because of his conquests, Greek culture spread far into the Middle East in the space of only 1 lifetime, and its effects lasted for at least 800 years.

 

[Shaihulud]

Ghengis Khan was called "Great Khan" I think. How about the "Great Helmsman", or the "Great Dictator"

 

[Xshayathiya]

That list is not complete. Not only that, but ti includes "The Great Houdini" and "Ronald the Great" (Ronald Reagan)

EDIT: How did you vote Darius because he has no votes at the moment?

i didnt really check, i just posted

and thats wierd, the vote is showing up for me: Darius the Great – Persia 1 2.94%

 

[Mongoloid Cow]

Ghengis Khan was called "Great Khan" I think. How about the "Great Helmsman", or the "Great Dictator"

The Great Khans were the Khans of the Great Horde (ie; Genghis Khan, Ogadai Khan, Guyuk Khan, Mongke Khan, Kublai Khan). The Great Horde was the name of the entire Mongol Empire. It is not calling them personally "the Great", but saying that as an emperor of sorts they were great. If that makes sense

i didnt really check, i just posted

and thats wierd, the vote is showing up for me: Darius the Great – Persia 1 2.94%

Well it is now I was going to take a screenshot of the last time I logged in to prove no one had voted for him

 

[sydhe]

There was a Count Hugh the Great of Paris in the early 10th Century, son of King Robert and nephew of King Odo. He was more powerful than the Carolingian King of France for a while. (This wasn't difficult at the time.) His son was Hugh Capet.

There's also a St. Hugh the Great, of Cluny. (So called, I think, to keep him from being confused with St. Hugh of Lincoln and Little St. Hugh of blood libel fame.)

 

[classical_hero]

Why isn't Mohammed Ali up there, considering that he called himself the greatest.

 

[DAv2003]

Just checking over the result and it seems that we have no love for Bhumibol in the forum.

 

[Mongoloid Cow]

Just checking over the result and it seems that we have no love for Bhumibol in the forum.

No one is a fan of Moctezuma either (frankly though, I'm not surprised neither are polling)

 

[DAv2003]

Really? How come?

 

[Mongoloid Cow]

Really? How come?

Raise hands if you have ever heard of Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great before (well I have, but it is beside the point. Most people won't have).

 

[DAv2003]

Probably not, but I was hoping that the poll would encourage people to do some research into the figures I chose.

 

[Gelion]

Hmmm.... we got so far:
3 English
18 Greeks or historians or people how know little history
7 French
6 Germans
2 Persians
2 Russians
No Aztechs
2 Poles
1 Indian.....

 

[Kyriakos]

I voted for alexander, since i didnt even know most of the other people, and thus they wouldnt be seen as so great. Also he is a model of later "greats", and the model is always seen as greater than anything which is just in relative likeness to the model

 

[Xshayathiya]

I voted for alexander, since i didnt even know most of the other people, and thus they wouldnt be seen as so great. Also he is a model of later "greats", and the model is always seen as greater than anything which is just in relative likeness to the model

this is why there are a lot of people voting Alexander, simply because they dont know the others. Alexander was not half as great as half of the people on that list, but most people just plain dont know. Just because you dont know those people doesnt mean they werent as great as Alexander. People know Alexander because Hollywood romanticizes him, and elementory history teachers teach "OMFG ALEXANDER WAS TEH PWN".

Polls like this dont work, because there are too many historically ignorant people.

PS By your definition, Darius is the greatest person on that list. He was the earliest person on that list. Furthermore, people like Montezuma were in no way modelled on Alexander. However, Alexander did model himself on Darius. Therefore, Darius wins

 

[Kyriakos]

this is why there are a lot of people voting Alexander, simply because they dont know the others. Alexander was not half as great as half of the people on that list, but most people just plain dont know. Just because you dont know those people doesnt mean they werent as great as Alexander. People know Alexander because Hollywood romanticizes him, and elementory history teachers teach "OMFG ALEXANDER WAS TEH PWN".

Polls like this dont work, because there are too many historically ignorant people.

PS By your definition, Darius is the greatest person on that list. He was the earliest person on that list. Furthermore, people like Montezuma were in no way modelled on Alexander. However, Alexander did model himself on Darius. Therefore, Darius wins

I knew i left myself exposed to this note However Darius can be seen as eastern, with alexander being the prototype western great king. The persian kings were being reffered to in Greece as "THE king", whereas the political diversity in Greece didnt allow for similarily illustrious monarchs. Alexander became the first such king, and arguably the first western great king

 

[jonatas]

However Darius can be seen as eastern, with alexander being the prototype western great king. The persian kings were being reffered to in Greece as "THE king", whereas the political diversity in Greece didnt allow for similarily illustrious monarchs.

I believe they (Persian kings) were also viewed by the Greeks, in a negative, undesirable sense, as "he despotes" ie. a despot, despotic, a master. The word in English certainly has oriental overtones, owing its origins to the Greek concepts. In any case, Alexander adopted these trappings, alienating many of his Macedonian comrades in the process.

 

[Kyriakos]

To my knowledge the persian king was always reffered to in ancient greek texts as "Ο Βασιλέας" "O Basileas", which means "the king". It mostly meant THE king though, distinguishing it from other kings, as for example the macedonian king, the king of Pontus, etc
I havent come across the phrase "οι δεσπότες" "oi despotes" which means mean "the despots"; but definately the persians were always seen as subjects, and not as free citizents, by the greek historians.

 

[Gelion]

Varwons could you give me a crush (sp) course on Greek letters so I would know how to read all of them properly? Just as a fellow Cyrillic brother?

 

[Kyriakos]

Cyril came from this city btw

Ok: "Ο βασιλέας" (O Basileas) is pronounced: O (as in On) Va (as in Vandals) Sy (as in synthesizer) Le (as in Learn) As (as in ash). The "e" in the Le syllable is where the tonicality is heard