Which singles person had the greatest impact on history?

[Lorenzo_H]

Now this is a difficult question.

My vote goes to Jesus Christ. He has easily the most amount of followers ever (me included).

What do you think?

[Aenlic]

I suspect this thread belongs in backroom before it explodes into a cat fight.

[Monk]

I suspect this thread belongs in backroom before it explodes into a cat fight.

I'm keeping a close eye on this thread. As it is a legitimate attempt at a historical thread i'm keeping it open; though I fear someone will give me reason to play an active role...

Let this be a warning. Play nice...

[Kralizec]

Interesting question.

Jesus Christ is certainly a candidate...in so far he was a historical figure. Besides in the end he had to rely on Paul, Petrus and his other apostles to spread his message, and it's not inconceivable that words were putten in his mouth here and there.

As for the person who had the most verifiable impact on history, I'd have to say Alexander the Great.

The only conquerer who can compete with him is Genghis Khan. But I like Alexander better

[English assassin]

Hmm. But Alexander didn't really change the course of history did he.

Its not going to be easy to knock JC off the pedestal, (though nominating St Paul was a crafty move) but...

From the classical world, I might nominate Octavian. But for him, would the Roman state have survived the transition to empire (and but for that, would Christianity be a world religion?) Probably not in both cases.

And then there is columbus, though lets be honest something as big as America was always going to be discovered by someone.

[Kralizec]

Hmm. But Alexander didn't really change the course of history did he.

The world wouldn't have looked differently had Darius III managed to bog down and defeat (or at least fight to a draw) Alexander? Persia's defeat was not exactly inevitable, you know.

Mohammed certainly needs mention too. Before him the Arabs were never a unity, just a bunch of nomadic tribes being bullied by more powerful neighbours such as the Persians, the Romans and the Parthians. Mohammeds religion binded them together into a force that rapidly conquered the middle east and North Africa, and would have conquered entire Europe if it wasn't for one failed battle (Poitiers)

[macsen rufus]

And then there is columbus, though lets be honest something as big as America was always going to be discovered by someone.

It had been discovered many times before Columbus, but people had the decency to keep quiet about it

More seriously though, history always depends on what happened before, change one thing you change so much, even a great figure's chance to influence history later. Abraham has to be quite a contender, and Mohammed is at least as important as JC historically. The world would be unrecognisable today without any one of them.

Chingis Khan certainly had a great impact in his time, but is there really that much legacy of it now?

It's probably the ideologues who have the greatest influence: Mao, Marx, Hitler, Gandhi etc

Actually Gandhi has had a huge impact - not just independence for India/Pakistan, but also great impact on all non-violent protest movements from black civil rights movement in USA (any influence of MLK is a reflection of Gandhian ideals) to South Africa and other places.

So after all that wibbling, I'll vote for Gandhi as he has attempted to change some very big situations and succeeded against huge odds and entrenched vested interests

And as he said "There is no road to peace; peace IS the road"

[Patriarch of Constantinople]

[QUOTE=English assassin]Hmm. But Alexander didn't really change the course of history did he.QUOTE]

He did unite Persia,Egypt,and parts of India under greek culture. He conquered the largest empire in history only in 10 years. He is still revered in Greece as a liberator against a foreign foe. So yes he did change history.

[Lorenzo_H]

Hmm. But Alexander didn't really change the course of history did he.

Its not going to be easy to knock JC off the pedestal, (though nominating St Paul was a crafty move) but...

From the classical world, I might nominate Octavian. But for him, would the Roman state have survived the transition to empire (and but for that, would Christianity be a world religion?) Probably not in both cases.

And then there is columbus, though lets be honest something as big as America was always going to be discovered by someone.

Christopher Columbus did not discover America for the following reasons:

a) The natives didn't think it needed discovering.
b) The Vikings probably ended up there, but more verifiable is the fact that
c) The Romans were there. They had trade going back and forth across the Atlantic for centuries. Evidence? A sunken Roman galley was found at the bottom of the Atlantic with Roman Coins dating as far back as Dioclitan (or maybe Dominitian, I forget the details. Roman coins have been found in places like New Mexico and New Jersey (not 100% sure about the latter).

[Patriarch of Constantinople]

What falls under "greatest impact on history"? There is so many. Jesus, Hannibal, Alexander, Constantine 1, Dioctolean.

[Patriarch of Constantinople]

The only greek influence in egypt as i see it was military. They used the classic hellenestic phalanx and heavy cav.

[KukriKhan]

I was thinking 'impact' and thought of fire, wheel, etc. But the topic is 'on history', so we're limited to about 4,000 years, yes? Maybe the tech-guys (telegraph, telephone & radio) should get a nod, since their products enabled the broader dissemination religious, political and military ideas. So: Marconi, Tesla, Bell... those guys?

Or maybe the sculpter of the Rosetta Stone.

[IrishArmenian]

Now this is a difficult question.

My vote goes to Jesus Christ. He has easily the most amount of followers ever (me included).

What do you think?

I would have to agree and same with me! But also in the far east there are many candidates, such as: Genghis Khan, or I don't know his name, but the first Emperor of China. But yes, diablodelmar, I ahve to agree with you, especially in the long run!
Or Mithrandir, some guy/woman got married and had to help watch over/have kids instead of conquering nations. Just thought I'd put that out there for you married men/women.

[Patriarch of Constantinople]

[QUOTE=IrishArmenian]I don't know his name, but the first Emperor of China.{QUOTE]

That would be Emperor Shi Huangdi of the Qin Empire which actually means "first emporer of china"

[Somebody Else]

Now, I know all these scientific developments are wonderful etc. But they are there to be discovered - if one person doesn't, another will. Take Newton and Liebnitz for example.

Artists on the other hand are unique in their talents. So, I'm going to say Shakespeare. It's all in The Science of the Discworld II: The Globe

[Subedei]

How about Socrates & Aristoteles? They influenced both, the Islamic and the Christian world in their thinking...Right?!?

[Patriarch of Constantinople]

How about Socrates & Aristoteles? They influenced both, the Islamic and the Christian world in their thinking...Right?!?

You do realiza both of these philosophers lived more than 300(or further im tired and woke up) years before Christianity right?

[Patriarch of Constantinople]

double post