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gamegeek2
07-10-2009, 22:23
Yeah, that's right - the 5 most famous people who were born before 0 CE. Jesus/Yehoshua/Iesus/Yashua does not count. And this is for how famous they are in modern times.

I'll tally these later.

Phalanx300
07-10-2009, 22:31
Before 0CE? :inquisitive:

BerkeleyBoi
07-10-2009, 22:42
Since I'm sure most people on others list will be made up of mostly Western and Eastern Europeans, I'll list a few famous Chinese folk since we "established the first society on the planet, while all you European motherf@%@ers were still hiding in caves and s@&$, all terrified of the sun". (Chasing Amy (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMCki0Z_AlA))

1. Confucius
2. Sun Zi
3. Qin Shi Huang
4. Lao Zi
5. Mencius

Hax
07-10-2009, 22:57
Being a Buddhist myself, I can't help but name Gautama Nyorai first.

1) Siddharta Gautama
2) Cyrus the Great
3) Ramses II
4) Hatshepsut
5) Croesos of Lydia

A Terribly Harmful Name
07-10-2009, 23:17
Famous Romaioi:

1. C. Iulius Caesar
2. M. Tullius Cicero
3. Gaius Quinctius Flaminius
4. Gaius Marius
5. Cnaeus Cornelius Sulla Felix

Tellos Athenaios
07-10-2009, 23:17
I am sorry I don't think the early Egyptians or the Sumerians would agree. (Who built their civilizations while the Chinese were doing their cave-hiding bit.) ~:)

Phalanx300
07-10-2009, 23:22
Famous BC people I gues?


1: Julius Caecar
2: Alexander
3: Hannibal
4: Augustus
5: Leonidas

BerkeleyBoi
07-10-2009, 23:29
I am sorry I don't think the early Egyptians or the Sumerians would agree. (Who built their civilizations while the Chinese were doing their cave-hiding bit.) ~:)

Haha, very true. I always wanted to use that line so I figured that this thread was as good as any.

Megas Methuselah
07-10-2009, 23:38
Alexander the Great
Cleopatra
Marcus Antonius
Leonidas II
Gaius Julius Caesar

These are probably the most well-known. Every commoner who doesn't care about history has probably heard about these people before.

teh1337tim
07-10-2009, 23:38
Lets put your egyptians and sumerians up to crossbows and lets see....


In no particular order for Chinese


Qin Shi Haungdi
Hao Gaozan
Han Wu Ti
Sun Tzu
Wang Mang (totally sped up downfall of Han)

No western...

Iulius Caeser
Gracchus brothers
Alexander
Hannibal
Phillip V (if only he had a better base of support)

Tellos Athenaios
07-10-2009, 23:48
Haha, very true. I always wanted to use that line so I figured that this thread was as good as any.

Yeah, altough you are quite right that the Chinese get little attention in these kind of `contests'. For the record, while not exactly famous - then certainly influential: the philosopher and statesman Han-Fei/Han-Feizi who pioneered Legalism ought to be mentioned too. Contemporary of Li Si who basically implemented his ideas in the kingdom of the very same Qin Shi Huangdi.

About Wang Mang... does he actually fit the time period? He dies (as does his moment of power) after 0 CE, doesn't he?

Rilder
07-11-2009, 00:51
Megas Mithridates :3

bobbin
07-11-2009, 01:08
1. Mitocondrial Eve
2. Mitocondrial Adam

abou
07-11-2009, 01:42
Honestly, although they don't get much coverage now, back in the day people like Pyrrhos or Antiochos III or Seleukos Nikator... these people had a huge impact on the known world. Pyrrhos was a destructive force like no other; Antiochos and Seleukos, despite losing in the end, were at least as influential as someone like Constantine having reigned over their respective territories 20 or 30 years.

Someone like Leonidas? Pft... fuck him. Ruling over Asia for several decades: now there is something worth remembering a person over.

johnhughthom
07-11-2009, 02:21
Someone like Leonidas? Pft... fuck him. Ruling over Asia for several decades: now there is something worth remembering a person over.

Indeed, though mention Diadochi, Successor States or Seleukid Empire to most people and all you will get usually is a blank look. What chance is there then of people knowing the leaders? The only ancient history most people know nowadays is whatever the mass media spoon feeds them.

Edit: Oh yeah my five:

Adam
Eve
(Of course they existed...)
Moses
Abraham
Julius Caesar


Jesus/Yehoshua/Iesus/Yashua does not count.

How about Homer Simpson's friend Jebus?

abou
07-11-2009, 02:27
I think part of the problem is that people like quick, short stories of bravery. Leonidas fills that bill - along with the fact that we have a fairly detailed account of his actions. If it can be condensed, it can be memorized. Antiochos III has no quick easy lines to memorize such as, "Come and take them!" or "I came, I saw, I conquered."

At least back in the day, many of the successors were looked on with at least some awe as evidence by the Roman copies of their busts that we have today in many museums. Such a shame that things get glossed over so quickly and easily without care and detail.

Azathoth
07-11-2009, 02:59
Adam
Eve
(Of course they existed...)
Moses
Abraham

Tell me another one. :beam:

Alsatia
07-11-2009, 03:14
Indeed, though mention Diadochi, Successor States or Seleukid Empire to most people and all you will get usually is a blank look. What chance is there then of people knowing the leaders? The only ancient history most people know nowadays is whatever the mass media spoon feeds them.

I've asked many of my friends about the sucessors. Even my macedonian friends have no clue about the sucessors. One of them extravagantly believe that alexander conquered Siberia and China. Even if I mention spartan hoplites, they immediately go crazy, they say "this is Sparta!", and og ahoo ahoo ahoo.

Before EB, I knew little about classical history. I have learned so much moore from EB than a year of history classes.


Tell me another one.

David, Jeremaiah, Samuel, Eliah, Esther.....

The five most famous for the people force fed by the media are (probably):

Alexander
Julius Caesar
Cleopatra
Leonidas
Spartacus

A Very Super Market
07-11-2009, 03:19
I think Alexander (And to a smaller degree, Caesar) are justified.

Azathoth
07-11-2009, 03:52
One of them extravagantly believe that alexander conquered Siberia and China.

I'm pretty sure he was joking dude.

I chose to interpet this question as the 5 most famous people to someone who lived before 1 CE, and therefore cannot answer it.

johnhughthom
07-11-2009, 03:56
I chose to interpet this question as the 5 most famous people to someone who lived before 1 CE, and therefore cannot answer it.

That's easy, your mother, your father, your brother, your sister and that crazy leper down the street.

I think Alexander (And to a smaller degree, Caesar) are justified.

Cyrus would be as justified as Alexander, much more so than Caesar. Let's not start a "he's more justified than him" debate though.

Irishmafia2020
07-11-2009, 06:06
1. Moses
2. Siddhartha gautama
3. Alexander
4. Julius Caesar
5. Shi huangdi - (Qin founder, unified china)

EDIT: Actually, Plato might be more famous than Alexander, albeit possibly unfairly...

Companion Cavalry
07-11-2009, 06:24
1. Philippos II
2. Megas Alexandros
3. Leonidas I (but only because of the 300 movie)

And I hate to include Romans where Greeks ought to hold the titles but:

4. Scipio Africanus
5. Iulius Caesar

(Only famous due to popular culture)

gamegeek2
07-11-2009, 06:58
By this I mean the best-known to modern people.

And Adam/Eve do not count either. I want real people.

Azathoth
07-11-2009, 07:11
In that case:
1. Leonidas the Epic Spartan
2. Julius Caesar
3. Alexander the Great
4. Aristotle
5. Archimides
6. Eratosthenes
7. Pythagoras
8. Euclid
9. Cleopatra
10. Russell Crowe