# Greatest National Leader elimination game (game thread) **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [May 20, 2010, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-national-leader-elimination-game-game-thread/540098 "2010-05-20T03:40:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-national-leader-elimination-game-game-thread/540098/241 "2010-07-11T07:39:09Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Not really. He had to fight for it, first against the conspirators, then against Mark Anthony. Well, that’s why I had it in quotes. I didn’t mean literally inherited, but he won the struggle to lead the reigning superpower. > [@](#): > > You forgot to add that he stabilized it and brought peace. Oh, absolutely. To be fair the state was _thoroughly_ exhausted by that time, but no doubt that Augustus ranks among the very greatest. > [@](#): > > IIRC the primary source for this, Tacitus, was very pro-Scribonia need to take a step back. I wasn’t terribly serious about that one ;). Also GW’s teeth don’t _really_ gross me out - they’re actually rather neat. Alexander really was a prick, though. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-national-leader-elimination-game-game-thread/540098/242 "2010-07-11T12:25:12Z")
I’d like to second **Tamarlane** ’s nomination of Cyrus as the Greatest Leader ever. He allegedly introduced the notion of government by consent (he ‘would not reign over the people if they did not wish it’); Thomas Jefferson had two copies of _Cyropaedia_. The restoration of the Jewish nation with their treasure is just one example of his tolerance and benevolence. And, although his own dynasty was short-lived, he introduced the institutions which kept the Persian heartland united until the present. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-national-leader-elimination-game-game-thread/540098/243 "2010-07-12T16:16:40Z")
The votes: **George Washington - 8** Cyrus the Great - 4 Alexander the Great - 2 Goodbye, GW (about whom I saw a big traveling Mount Vernon exhibit in Pittsburgh just yesterday, as it happens), still first in the hearts of his countrymen. That leaves: Alexander the Great - Macedonian conqueror, emperor Caesar Augustus - Founded Roman Empire Cyrus the Great - Great, benevolent conqueror Qin Shi Huang - Unified China emperor The current round of voting will end on Weds. July 14 at noon EST. Same rules as in the previous round: Two votes per player, which may be cast against the same leader. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-national-leader-elimination-game-game-thread/540098/244 "2010-07-12T16:21:57Z")
Alexander - 2 ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-national-leader-elimination-game-game-thread/540098/245 "2010-07-12T16:24:11Z")
2 - Alexander. A military genius, but a flash in the pan. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-national-leader-elimination-game-game-thread/540098/246 "2010-07-12T22:26:57Z")
**Alexander** - 2 ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Credible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a8b319/32.png) [@Justin\_Credible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Credible)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-national-leader-elimination-game-game-thread/540098/247 "2010-07-12T23:30:29Z")
Qin Shi Huang - 2 ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-national-leader-elimination-game-game-thread/540098/248 "2010-07-13T00:08:11Z")
Sticking with Cyrus the Great – 2 ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-national-leader-elimination-game-game-thread/540098/249 "2010-07-13T05:31:32Z")
Alexander - 2 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-national-leader-elimination-game-game-thread/540098/250 "2010-07-13T13:10:06Z")
Alexander - 2 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-national-leader-elimination-game-game-thread/540098/251 "2010-07-14T17:03:21Z")
The votes - not even close: **Alexander the Great - 10** Cyrus the Great - 2 Qin Shi Huang - 2 That leaves: Caesar Augustus - Founded Roman Empire Cyrus the Great - Great, benevolent conqueror Qin Shi Huang - Unified China emperor The current round of voting will end on Fri. July 16 at noon EST. Same rules as in the previous round: Two votes per player, which may be cast against the same leader. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-national-leader-elimination-game-game-thread/540098/252 "2010-07-14T17:07:18Z")
2 - Qin Shi Huang. One of the greatest, but the least of this mighty company. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-national-leader-elimination-game-game-thread/540098/253 "2010-07-14T18:47:09Z")
Augustus - 1 Qin - 1 The good guy should finish first. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-national-leader-elimination-game-game-thread/540098/254 "2010-07-14T19:19:09Z")
Even though the die is apparently cast (to paraphrase a leader eliminated earlier), I’ll keep up with my pattern of late: Cyrus the Great – 2 ---
**Author:** ![straight\_man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/straight_man/32/3027_2.png) [@straight\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/straight_man)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-national-leader-elimination-game-game-thread/540098/255 "2010-07-14T21:55:06Z")
Qin —2 Purely strategic —I’m going after that bastard Augustus next. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Credible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a8b319/32.png) [@Justin\_Credible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Credible)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-national-leader-elimination-game-game-thread/540098/256 "2010-07-14T23:06:27Z")
Qin Shi Huang - 2 ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-national-leader-elimination-game-game-thread/540098/257 "2010-07-15T00:03:00Z")
I’m really tempted to post a “Cyrus the Great vs. The Beatles” thread in Cafe Society, but I think I will manfully restrain myself. Instead, I’ll go ahead and split my vote: **Caesar Augustus** - 1 **Qin Shi Huang** - 1 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-national-leader-elimination-game-game-thread/540098/258 "2010-07-15T01:00:06Z")
> [@Justin\_Credible](#): > > Qin Shi Huang - 2 Ditto. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-national-leader-elimination-game-game-thread/540098/259 "2010-07-15T08:24:38Z")
Augustus - 2 Maybe I’m just obstinate, but his importance to the Roman Empire seems less than Qin’s importance to China. Anyway, Augustus _did_ murder Caesarion (last Pharaoh), as well as (according to a detective I saw on TV!) Caesarion’s mother Queen Cleopatra. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2010, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-national-leader-elimination-game-game-thread/540098/260 "2010-07-16T20:05:52Z")
On the home stretch now. The votes: **Qin Shi Huang - 10** Caesar Augustus - 4 Cyrus the Great - 2 That leaves: Caesar Augustus - Founded Roman Empire Cyrus the Great - Great, benevolent conqueror The current round of voting will end on Mon. July 19 at noon EST. New rules: One vote per player. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-national-leader-elimination-game-game-thread/540098.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-national-leader-elimination-game-game-thread/540098.md?page=14)