2) Alexander the Great
Alexander was King of the ancient Greek state of Macedon in the 4th century B.C. At the age of 20, he inherited the kingdom from his father (King Philip), and with it, began an unprecedented military campaign across northern Africa, the Middle East, and throughout Asia. Alexander was never defeated in battle, and, in many instances, was victorious despite being severely outnumbered. He is considered by most historians to be one of the greatest military commanders of all time — having secured one of the largest empires of the ancient world in just 10 years.
Alexander’s campaigns laid the building blocks of Hellenism throughout the immensity of his empire; becoming a future foundation of European dominance around the world for millennia. His brilliance in battle, most likely highly influenced by the careful and rational thought processes of his teacher (Aristotle), was so extraordinary that his tactics are still studied in military academies around the world even today. The ripples from Alexander’s life touch so many areas of human civilization that it would be difficult to mention (or even know) them all, but one very important fact links him with the man on this list who is leagues beyond all the others. The New Testament being written in Greek (rather than in Latin or Aramaic) is a testament to the immense influence Alexander had on the ancient world (even 400 years after his death).
“Remember upon the conduct of each depends the fate of all.” – Alexander the Great
