Haloface
09-21-2004, 09:52 AM
Who do you believe to be the greatest general in the Roman Empire?
Who you choose, and how you define "greatest" is entirely up to you.
1) Fabius Maximus (and to a lesser extent, Claudius Marcellus) [270 BC] - Not so much a great general and warfare leader, but in a time of crisis for Rome (Second Punic War), Maximus used his head and, in a series of extremely controversial moves, denied Hannibal the luxury of facing him and the Roman army in battle, but chose instead to avoid Hannibal and give chase instead. It was a turning point in the War, and made Hannibal's time in Italy far more dangerous and cumbersome, leading to his retiring back to Africa, along with the need to defend Carthage itself.
2) Scipio Africanus [236 BC] - Scipio is widely acknowledge as Rome's Hannibal. With successful action in Spain and Africa, Scipio inflicted Rome's only success against Hannibal at Zama, which meant the conclusion of the Second Punic War, and a humiliating peace for Carthage, breaking any power it had left over the Med and Africa. Scipio's son burnt Carthage to the ground in the Third Punic War.
3) Aemilius Paullus [200 BC] - Ever since the end (and also during) the Punic Wars, Rome meddled in the Greek world more and more. It was Aemilius who lead Rome to victory in the battle of Pydna, and so conquered Macedonia, the most dominant Greek state at the time, and so laid the foundations to make Greece a Roman Playground.
4) Caius Marius [150 BC] - Marius was a real tactician and fighting general, subduing the African provinces such as Numidia through real knowledge of terrain and supply. Marius was also the man who repelled and defeated the Gaulish armies that swept down in to Italy and menaced Rome's Cisalpine Gaul province. Toward the end of his consulship, Marius was the prime figure of Sulla's civil war, and later exiled and then executed by Sulla, forcing Marius' son, a certain Caeser, to flee Rome.
5) Popmey [106 BC] - A legend his own right, Popmey excelled to power by choosing his side in the first Civil War wisely, showing Sulla his brilliance as a military campaigner, gaining successes in Spain, Africa, and Sicily early on in his life. Later dubbed "The Great" after his heroine Alexander, Popmey dominated the East, winning over much of the empire beyond Asia (minor). Present during the turbulent late Republic years, Popmey triumphed through Spartacus' slave revolt, became one of the Triumvirate, joint consul, ruler of the East, and lead the republic and the senate against Caeser when he crossed the Rubicon. For the first time in his career, he met defeat - though just - at the hands of Caeser.
6) Caeser [100 BC] - Military campaigner, leader, tactician, politician, Caeser possessed all the qualities of emporer. He conquered all of Gaul within a decade, doubling Rome's empire, sent expeditions to Britain, fought rebels in Spain, and lived through many civil disputes and wars. Much like his father, he was a politician as well as an excellent general. He formed the "Triumvirate" to extend his control of Gaul, crossed the Rubicon to plunge the Republic in to civil war, and defeating his adversary Pompey in the East, humped Cleopatra in Egypt, and returned home just in time to set up a dictatorship that made Rome even greater, not the typical bloodbath that Sulla had propelled.
7) Germanicus (1 AD) - Germanicus, much like Popmey, was a brilliant tactician. His campaigns created a Rhine frontier, piercing deep in to Germanian territory, up to the Elbe and beyond. Germanics' ability to recover from disaster and pursue avenues of diplomacy and cunning rather than just ambush and attack makes him worthy of his praise.
8) There are a few worthy contendors between the periods of early emporers and later break-down, but none as good as the examples given above, IMO. So any are up for consideration, Corbulo and his Armenian campaigns perhaps, Titus, Trajan, or even Julian and his Gaul campaigns.
9) Belisarius - [500 AD] - Definately the finest general since the days of the Republic, Belisarius was the emporer Justinian's finest tool. After the fall of the Western Empire, Belisarius was able to recover Italy on more than one occassion, inflict crushing defeats on the Persians, and regain conquered North Africa. His skill in using with what little he had to great effect - being poorly supplied and reinforced by a jealous emporer - only adds to Belisarius' reputation as a great general.
Feel free to add more. The list is slightly republico-centered, but there's no doubting that the greatest generals lived in that time. Or perhaps there is, but I guess this is what the thread is for :P
Who you choose, and how you define "greatest" is entirely up to you.
1) Fabius Maximus (and to a lesser extent, Claudius Marcellus) [270 BC] - Not so much a great general and warfare leader, but in a time of crisis for Rome (Second Punic War), Maximus used his head and, in a series of extremely controversial moves, denied Hannibal the luxury of facing him and the Roman army in battle, but chose instead to avoid Hannibal and give chase instead. It was a turning point in the War, and made Hannibal's time in Italy far more dangerous and cumbersome, leading to his retiring back to Africa, along with the need to defend Carthage itself.
2) Scipio Africanus [236 BC] - Scipio is widely acknowledge as Rome's Hannibal. With successful action in Spain and Africa, Scipio inflicted Rome's only success against Hannibal at Zama, which meant the conclusion of the Second Punic War, and a humiliating peace for Carthage, breaking any power it had left over the Med and Africa. Scipio's son burnt Carthage to the ground in the Third Punic War.
3) Aemilius Paullus [200 BC] - Ever since the end (and also during) the Punic Wars, Rome meddled in the Greek world more and more. It was Aemilius who lead Rome to victory in the battle of Pydna, and so conquered Macedonia, the most dominant Greek state at the time, and so laid the foundations to make Greece a Roman Playground.
4) Caius Marius [150 BC] - Marius was a real tactician and fighting general, subduing the African provinces such as Numidia through real knowledge of terrain and supply. Marius was also the man who repelled and defeated the Gaulish armies that swept down in to Italy and menaced Rome's Cisalpine Gaul province. Toward the end of his consulship, Marius was the prime figure of Sulla's civil war, and later exiled and then executed by Sulla, forcing Marius' son, a certain Caeser, to flee Rome.
5) Popmey [106 BC] - A legend his own right, Popmey excelled to power by choosing his side in the first Civil War wisely, showing Sulla his brilliance as a military campaigner, gaining successes in Spain, Africa, and Sicily early on in his life. Later dubbed "The Great" after his heroine Alexander, Popmey dominated the East, winning over much of the empire beyond Asia (minor). Present during the turbulent late Republic years, Popmey triumphed through Spartacus' slave revolt, became one of the Triumvirate, joint consul, ruler of the East, and lead the republic and the senate against Caeser when he crossed the Rubicon. For the first time in his career, he met defeat - though just - at the hands of Caeser.
6) Caeser [100 BC] - Military campaigner, leader, tactician, politician, Caeser possessed all the qualities of emporer. He conquered all of Gaul within a decade, doubling Rome's empire, sent expeditions to Britain, fought rebels in Spain, and lived through many civil disputes and wars. Much like his father, he was a politician as well as an excellent general. He formed the "Triumvirate" to extend his control of Gaul, crossed the Rubicon to plunge the Republic in to civil war, and defeating his adversary Pompey in the East, humped Cleopatra in Egypt, and returned home just in time to set up a dictatorship that made Rome even greater, not the typical bloodbath that Sulla had propelled.
7) Germanicus (1 AD) - Germanicus, much like Popmey, was a brilliant tactician. His campaigns created a Rhine frontier, piercing deep in to Germanian territory, up to the Elbe and beyond. Germanics' ability to recover from disaster and pursue avenues of diplomacy and cunning rather than just ambush and attack makes him worthy of his praise.
8) There are a few worthy contendors between the periods of early emporers and later break-down, but none as good as the examples given above, IMO. So any are up for consideration, Corbulo and his Armenian campaigns perhaps, Titus, Trajan, or even Julian and his Gaul campaigns.
9) Belisarius - [500 AD] - Definately the finest general since the days of the Republic, Belisarius was the emporer Justinian's finest tool. After the fall of the Western Empire, Belisarius was able to recover Italy on more than one occassion, inflict crushing defeats on the Persians, and regain conquered North Africa. His skill in using with what little he had to great effect - being poorly supplied and reinforced by a jealous emporer - only adds to Belisarius' reputation as a great general.
Feel free to add more. The list is slightly republico-centered, but there's no doubting that the greatest generals lived in that time. Or perhaps there is, but I guess this is what the thread is for :P