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.
Oh, absolutely. To be fair the state was thoroughly exhausted by that time, but no doubt that Augustus ranks among the very greatest.
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.
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.
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.
Alexander - 2
2 - Alexander. A military genius, but a flash in the pan.
Alexander - 2
Qin Shi Huang - 2
Sticking with
Cyrus the Great – 2
Alexander - 2
Alexander - 2
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.
2 - Qin Shi Huang. One of the greatest, but the least of this mighty company.
Augustus - 1
Qin - 1
The good guy should finish first.
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
Qin —2
Purely strategic —I’m going after that bastard Augustus next.
Qin Shi Huang - 2
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
Ditto.
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.
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.