[therightliveswithus]

who is it?

[Grut]

I doubt there’s a final answer to this question, but let me throw in Chaka Zulu: invented the Assegi (stabbing spear), large-scale tactics, real armies, and a society to support them, all by himself. He created a proto-nation-state among the Zulus which was eerily similar to nazi Germany a century later, especially Himmler’s vision of it.

Considering he started out with basically a loosely organized tribal group....

[Billthedrill]

I'd throw Belisarius into the mix. The problem is that his was a pretty obscure little slice of history.

Lee said it was Grant, BTW, and I believe Grant thought it was Lee. That's an awfully good pair to draw to.

[frogjerk]

David

Constantine the Great

St. Jeanne d'Arc

[RachelFaith]

Jeanne d’Arc!

[Churchillspirit]

General Issue....without them nothing is won.

[tcrlaf]

It’s hard to pick a “Greatest General” given the disparity of technologies and eras.

I’d rather pick a list of 5.

Genghis Khan
Hannibal
Khaled bin Al-Waleed
Von Manstein
Ariel Sharon

[SunkenCiv]

· GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach · · join list or digest · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post a topic · subscribe ·
	Antiquity Journal  & archive  Archaeologica  Archaeology  Archaeology Channel  BAR  Bronze Age Forum  Discover  Dogpile  Eurekalert  Google  LiveScience  Mirabilis.ca  Nat Geographic  PhysOrg  Science Daily  Science News  Texas AM  Yahoo  Excerpt, or Link only?	I don't think this is answerable, since the great generals tend to be operating one at a time, and of course they don't face other great generals from other eras (or have to). But out of all the excellent generals of the ancient world, I would pick Alexander. Alexander the Great's dad and/or his dad's associates innovated and adapted existing equipment and tactics; the traditional Greek phalanx had grown in popularity after the Persians got their sorry butts kicked a number of times in Greece. By Alexander's time, a decent chunk of the Persian army was made up of Greek conscripts from Persian-held Anatolia, Cyprus, and Egypt as well as Greek mercenaries from the same places as well as Greece itself. After facing Alexander, those Greek fighting men were believers. The improvements made by Phillip and further implemented by Alexander included longer spear shafts in the phalanx, (non-gunpowder) artillery such as catapaults and "belly shooters", and coupled with drilling and discipline. It's not any coincidence that, after that terrible winter in Balkh, when A nearly died of wounds but recovered strong as ever, a massive force of Greek hoplites arrived. He split his army into four columns of 50,000 each (that's right, 200 thousand troops) and cleaned house up there. Alexander though had that rare ability to understand what was going on and dynamically adjust. He didn't seem to have any doubt about what he was doing. And he was charismatic -- his army would (to rip off an cool piece of dialogue from HBO's "Rome") have followed him up Hades' ass. And no great general can do without that. Thanks therightliveswithus. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.
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[mad_as_he$$]

Leonidas (pronounced /liːˈɒnɨdəs/,[1] Greek: Λεωνίδας, Leōnidas, literally "lion's son") was a king of Sparta, the 17th of the Agiad line, one of the sons of King Anaxandridas II of Sparta, who was believed in mythology to be a descendant of Heracles, possessing much of the latter's strength and bravery. While it has been established that King Leonidas of Sparta died at the Battle of Thermopylae in August, 480 BC, very little is known about the year of his birth, or for that matter, his formative years. Paul Cartledge has narrowed the date of the birth of King Leonidas to around 540 BC.

Leonidas was one of three brothers: he had an older brother Dorieus and a younger brother Cleombrotus, who ruled as regent for a while on Leonidas' death before the regency was taken over by Pausanias, who was Cleombrotus' son. Leonidas succeeded his half-brother Cleomenes I, probably in 489 or 488 BC, and was married to Cleomenes' daughter, Gorgo. His name was raised to heroic status as a result of the events in the Battle of Thermopylae.

With my shield or on it.

[wendy1946]

Either Genghis Khan himself or his general Subudai who led the invasion of Eastern Europe, one of the two.

[Kevmo]

Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and myself founded empires; but what foundation did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded an empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men would die for Him.
~Napoleon Bonaparte

[decisis]

General Robert E. Lee, CSA.

[Palter]

Scipio Africanus & Sulla

[MattinNJ]

Have to go with Alexander. Dude won in all terrains-jungles, deserts, mountains, plains-and in all scenarios-massive showdowns between empires or guerilla warfare.

Napoleon was great and he gets bonus points and added degree of difficulty because he had the French, but at the end of the day, you have to go with Alexander.

My favorites-Leonaides, Patton, and Charles the Hammer. Daniel Morgan has to get an honorable mention for the ass whupping he gave the Brits at Cowpens.

[GreenLanternCorps]

Alexander the Great - defeated only by the size of the World

George Washington - Kept the American army together to outlast the the British and win independence, kept the army out of politics, and gave up power willingly.

1st Baron Clive - Defeated the French and won India for Great Britain

1st Duke of Marlborough - won the War of the Spanish Succession

1st Duke of Wellington - Drove Napoleon from Spain, defeated him at Waterloo

King Frederick II of Prussia (Frederick the Great) - Greatest General of the Seven Years War, created modern Prussia

Ulysses S. Grant - Crushed the Confederacy in the West, effectively won the War at Vicksburg, then destroyed the Eastern Confederate armies too.

Omar Bradley - lead the largest army (12th Army Group) in American history.

Winfield Scott - Captured Mexico City and won the Mexican War. Devised the plan that was the basis of Union victory in the Civil War.

[ZULU]

# 1 Genghis Khan

# 2 Alexander the Great

The rest are merely “honorable mentions”.

Sorry.

[wildbill]

Julius Caesar.

He did one tactical battle that was amazing. I believe it was the battle of Alesia where he laid siege to the city but was then attacked by another army from the rear. He built a second wall to defend against the army at his rear and successfully defeated both armies he faced. I can’t think of any general who could have done that or even would have tried.

[Condor51]

The Greatest General In History isn't even on the list.
He is

Sun Tzu

He wrote the book all others followed: The Art of War.

[frogjerk]

Excellent thread!

[Reily]

General Paul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck
Read about him an incredible story!
Led Imperial German forces in Africa.
He was heavily out-numbered 4 or 5 to 1. Lost supply and for the most part communication contact with Germany early in the war. He resupplied his troops with ammo and food totally from captured Allied stores. He was never defeated. At the end of the war he was on the offensive and retaking territory.