5 Most Famous Pre-CE/AD people

[gamegeek2]

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]

Before 0CE?

[BerkeleyBoi]

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)

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

[Hax]

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]

Famous Romaioi:

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

[Tellos Athenaios]

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]

Famous BC people I gues?


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

[BerkeleyBoi]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Megas Mithridates :3

[bobbin]

1. Mitocondrial Eve
2. Mitocondrial Adam

[abou]

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]

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

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Jesus/Yehoshua/Iesus/Yashua does not count.

How about Homer Simpson's friend Jebus?

[abou]

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]

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

Tell me another one.

[Alsatia]

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]

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

[Azathoth]

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]

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]

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]

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]

By this I mean the best-known to modern people.

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

[Azathoth]

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