Top 5 generals of Greece

[conon394]

Alexandros is almost definitely the greatest general of all time

Why, he never faced a certifiable ‘Great Captain’ and won ala Wellington or Scipio, he did not even beat quality generals on a regular basis like Epaminondas or Caesar did. Basically given an inheritance that included a nearly perfect political settlement of the question of Hegemony in Greece and well trained veteran army; Alexander bled his country dry to conquer the Persian Empire and take a costly butchering tour of its Indian marches while failing to establish any lasting political stability and break his father’s delicate political settlement of Greece too pieces.

Was he a good, even a very good general sure, but I just don’t think he faced a sufficient challenge to be called the best ever…

[Eleatic Guest]

Iphikrates is often overlooked, but he was an innovator both in terms of tactics and equipment and he also was quite successful in Egypt, too.

[TraderTrey9785]

Hi all,

I would have put Brasidas as ranking in the top 5 Greek generals. After all, it only took one Spartan to organize resistance in Syracuse against the Athenian Expedition. Even though he lost a few battles early in his career, he was a brilliant tactician.

[hoplite14gr]

Tray,
just for the record it was Gyllipos in Sicely.
Brasidas was instrumental in Chalkidiki and he showed daring and initiative in Amphipolis.
Kind regards

[M.H. White]

I can't help but notice that Philip II and Alexander the Great aren't included, and I can't figure out why. If you're going to include Phyrrus, you might as well include Phillip (who gets my vote) and Alexander.


I tend to follow the school of thought that while Alexander may have been tactically brilliant,perhaps more so than Philip. However, Philip brings all the qualities of a general together. He was extremely savvy in politics, tough, tenacious, and very determined. He was also not above using gold instead of force. When he began his rule, Macedon was weak and when he was assassinated, Macedonian might would prove sufficient to bring low the Persian Empire. There is much to be said for Philip's generalship.

Also, though I admire the man greatly, I don't think Leonidas should be on the list. He may have been a canny general as well as a brave and fearless leader, but he pales in comparison to the likes of Epimonondas, Philip, and Alexander.

[Anonymous]

Leonidas was no great general. There's no arguing that he was very brave, but he made important mistakes, most particularly with the Phokian guard. If he had given both passages equal attention, the garrison could have lasted much longer.

Alexandros is almost definitely the greatest general of all time... so there's no contest there. I'm also very fond of Themistokles' achievements.

I would argue that the Phokians made the mistake - and you can't argue that it was, therefore, Leonidas's mistake to give them the job, since he had to detach someone and only hindsight gives you better judgement than he showed. Extrapolating from a hypothesis is always dangerous, with History; you say "the garrison could have lasted much longer" "if he had given both passages equal attention". All sorts of things "could" have happened. What do you mean by "equal attention"? Equal numbers? I read that the Phokian failure to defend the pass was not due to lack of numbers but to their choosing a position the enemy could flank without ever coming to grips.

I don't think Leonidas demonstrated great generalship at Thermopylae; after all, the tactics had been decided by committee, long in advance of the action. Given a clearly-defined task, he demonstrated great leadership - which is what Alexander did, following tactics laid down by his father. Alexander repeatedly led charges he should have delegated to someone else, thus risking his whole venture on his own survival. Had he been killed in action, his army might have extricated itself, like the Ten Thousand, but it might also have been wiped out on the spot, given the potential for demoralisation of his troops in such circumstances. My vote goes to ugly, old, one-eyed Philip, who invented a better way of fighting and created a new army to put it into practice.

[Giannis K. Hoplite]

Hi all.
I would also start with Leonidas out of the greatest generals,after all what he did was not his decisions but his state's and it could have been nearly any other Spartan general in his place.He was brave undoubtledy,but not more than any other soldier who fought inthat battle.
Alexander shouldn't be in the list because I think he was the best general ever and puting him in wouldn't let the discussion continue as much as it does now.To the arguement that he isn't the best because he didn't face "great generals" I have to say that anyone who studies his tactics and strategy in every one of his battles wouldn't doubt for his greatest genious.Not to mention that nearly all of his great battles were against much larger armies and he also proved his skill agaist the largest of the armies and in open place in Gaugamela.If you say that his oponents didn't have as good army as he had,I have to say that if he had anything near his enemy's quality of soldier and went to battle as much outnumbered as he went,even with his great skill,every Greek would call him an idiot.
Philip should have been in the vote
Now,I support Alcibiades,don't know if he was the best but certainly one of the best.When he was general,Athens was stronger than any other time.When he was againt it,Athens almost lost.Actually it lost because of him.This prove his genious also.Most scholars agree that the chances were with Alkibiades if he had remained commander in Syracuse.I have to remind here that Syracuse almost fell with the first strike of the Athenians when Alkibiades was still there.Syracusans were closed into the small island of Ortygia.It was a matter of days for the Athenians to win.And then Alkibiades was called back.And Nikias,instead of trying to atack Ortygia,which was possible,we started making that wall arrownd the town.Also remember that at this time Syracuse was not the same as when the Romans besieged it.I didn't have special defences and there was not a wall in Epipolae.The expedition was dangerous not because the Syracusans were so strong,but because their town was so far from Athens.
Why they lost then?Well,becaus eof bad generalship,and it was not that Nikisas was a bad general,but he was against the expedition from the begining.The fact that he was there was a political trick of Alkibiades.And it was a good trick as long as Alkibiades remained in command.Also,it was a work of Alkibiades that the Spartans send Gylippos in Syracuse.
Now,he did a mistake leaving his ship's helmsman as a general of the whole fleet,but he also left him with clear orders NOT TO ATTACK Lyssander.It was not a strategic foult that should identify him as a bad general,but he trusted the wrong man.
After all,he was the man that influenced more than anyone else the greatest war since that time!
To finish,I don't know who was the GREATESt general(appart from Alexander),but Philip,Alkibiades and possibly Brasidas and Demosthenes(this one lost in Sicily) should be in the list.
Khairete
Giannis

[Mythos_Ruler]

I choose Epaminondas. The man brought low the Spartans.

[TraderTrey9785]

Tray,
just for the record it was Gyllipos in Sicely.
Brasidas was instrumental in Chalkidiki and he showed daring and initiative in Amphipolis.
Kind regards

Two months later I finally realize I left out Gyllipos...I suppose reading about the Sicilian Expedition in Ancient Greek and learning to spell Gyllipos jogged my memory that I left him out. To answer the previous post, I think both of them should be included along with Philip, Alexander, and probably Xenophon...for various reasons.

[zugislander]

I think that Iphikrates should also be included. If he was it would not change my, but I think he shouold be in the mix. The only other change I would make to the list would be to swap Brassidas for Leonidas. Leonidas was a great general, but Brassidas was better and we are talking about the best.

My choice is Epaminondas. He beat the Spartans in the field twice (how many generals can claim even that) and had whipped the Macedonians prior to that. Additionally, his ideas and innovations are the basics of Phillip and Alexander's armies thus at least some of their success is due to him as well.

So, just looking at "Generals", I think that Epaminondas was the best bar none.

Cordially,

Michael