 Editor in Chief Bill   | 01 Feb 2016 9:23 a.m. PST |
From the Ancients period, which Greek general do you feel is consistently undervalued? |
| mbsparta | 01 Feb 2016 10:04 a.m. PST |
1. Memnon, Greek mercenary general who fought for the Persians 2. Brasidas … Spartan who fell at Amphipolis Mike B |
| Yesthatphil | 01 Feb 2016 10:13 a.m. PST |
They are pretty much all overlooked except Alexander (assuming you count him 'Greek') … *Epaminondas?
*Pagondas even more …
*Pausanias?
*Timoleon (Plutarch certainly rated him … ) …
*Brasidas maybe? To name but a few … but my candidate would be Gylippus who seems to have masterminded the defeat of the Athenian expeditionary force to Syracuse in 415-413 conjuring total victory out of almost no resources. Not only a surprising result, but a decisive victory which pretty much won the war. Phil |
| Inkpaduta | 01 Feb 2016 11:29 a.m. PST |
I would guess which ever general was the shortest. |
| Zippee | 01 Feb 2016 11:36 a.m. PST |
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| Bashytubits | 01 Feb 2016 11:50 a.m. PST |
A second vote for Alcibiades. |
| sumerandakkad | 01 Feb 2016 12:49 p.m. PST |
The unknown generals who made Sparta the pre-eminent force in Greece |
 BigRedBat  | 01 Feb 2016 1:56 p.m. PST |
Epaminondas; what a genius! |
| athun25 | 01 Feb 2016 2:05 p.m. PST |
Xanthippus, the Spartan who led Carthage to victory over Rome
at the Bagradas plains. |
| Winston Smith | 01 Feb 2016 3:34 p.m. PST |
I am always puzzled by "most overrated" or " most overlooked" polls. Overlooked by whom? Scholars? History Channel fans? Kardashians?
If you're not a student of Greek military history, how can you have an opinion? And if you are, then he is not overlooked. |
| Lee Brilleaux | 01 Feb 2016 4:38 p.m. PST |
Obviously the most overlooked is -- erm -- that guy. The one who did that thing that most people have never heard of. |
bandit86  | 01 Feb 2016 10:35 p.m. PST |
his name is Chuck, all his achievements lost to history |
| JJartist | 01 Feb 2016 11:32 p.m. PST |
Philopoemen. No Greek is deserving of best general, because the Greeks were losers. All their generals should have figured out that the city state isolation and hegemony system was eventually doomed.. when outsider powers arose they fought in dribs and drabs… luckily defeated the Persians, but squandered the victory by fighting a great hundred year war that weakened every poleis. Then they doubled down on stupid and did not present a united front against Philip and Alexander, allowing them to rub out resistance piecemeal. If Sparta had united with Thebes and Athens against the Macedonians then odds are higher they would have prevailed… good generals could have told them this. Philopoemen, the last Greek-- united the Achaean League and worked under the rules of a democracy, and came up short of unifying Greece. Too bad it wasnt sooner. But his demise led to the end at Corinth… even average Roman generals could defeat Greeks and Macedonians, again and again, because they could not unify against the foe. My favorite Greek general is Phokion- because he councilled against war when it was brought on by ambitious tools and demagogues who had never carried a spear, and he realistically argued to man and improve the forts in the passes, but when opportunity was ripe he could inspire his hoplites to take three days rations and march, and drive the Macedonians into the sea- because he was smart enough to only fight when the fight was on his terms. Sadly the demagogues drown out the rational voices. |
 ochoin | 02 Feb 2016 12:07 a.m. PST |
Thucydides. He may not have saved Amphipolis & got exiled as a consequence but his 'History of the Peloponnesian War' is worth more than any mere conquest. Indeed, it is possible if he'd been a great military leader his history would never have been written. If you accept that "the pen is mightier than the sword", he IS the greatest Greek general. link |
| GurKhan | 02 Feb 2016 3:05 a.m. PST |
I would guess which ever general was the shortest. "I don't like a tall general nor one in braids
or proud with his curls or part shaved under the chin,
but for me he should be short and around his knees
bowlegged to behold, standing firm on his feet, full of heart."
- Archilochos |
| CATenWolde | 02 Feb 2016 3:53 a.m. PST |
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| EvilBen | 02 Feb 2016 12:06 p.m. PST |
Lamachus. Everyone forgets he went to Syracuse with Nicias and Alcibiades, but he may well have had the best plan. Terrible PR while he was alive, though. No Greek is deserving of best general, because the Greeks were losers. All their generals should have figured out that the city state isolation and hegemony system was eventually doomed.. when outsider powers arose they fought in dribs and drabs… luckily defeated the Persians Is arguably a little bit harsh on Cimon, for one. |
| Nikator | 02 Feb 2016 12:52 p.m. PST |
Alcibiades was a fascinating man…but justfiably overlooked as a general. Much as I dislike the Spartans, I join with those who admire Brasidas. |
| xenophon | 04 Feb 2016 9:13 a.m. PST |
Despite being a Spartan, Brasidas is a good candidate. However, I think I will vote for Jason of Pharae! Even Xenophon thought highly of him in his "Hellenika". |
| EvilBen | 04 Feb 2016 4:23 p.m. PST |
The thing with Brasidas is that we know how great he was because Thucydides goes on about it. That makes him (Brasidas) not really all that over-looked, by the standards of Greek generals. Also, Thucydides was far from impartial. Saying, effectively, 'OK I lost. But what could I do? My opponent was a genius' makes him sound maganimous at the same time as providing an excuse for his bungling. Perhaps Brasidas has been consistently over-rated ever since…  |
