# Greatest Warriors of All Time **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 23, 2010, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-warriors-of-all-time/537098 "2010-04-23T13:45:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**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:** [April 25, 2010, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-warriors-of-all-time/537098/61 "2010-04-25T02:12:54Z")
No, sorry. I’m not him. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-warriors-of-all-time/537098/62 "2010-04-25T03:07:26Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > They also had hordes of tribesmen from groups rebelling against Inca rule. Most of those killed on the 476 side of the given ratio were not killed by Spaniards. I think you’re confusing the conquest of the Incas with the conquest of the Aztecs. Cortez had Indian allies, Pizarro didn’t, ---
**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:** [April 25, 2010, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-warriors-of-all-time/537098/63 "2010-04-25T04:19:12Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > I think you’re confusing the conquest of the Incas with the conquest of the Aztecs. Cortez had Indian allies, Pizarro didn’t, Pizarro [did](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wankas) ( to cite one example ). One cite claims 30,000 auxillaries with Pizarro at the siege of Cuzco, but that is probably as suspect as the numbers cited for most campaigns. Here’s an interesting [archaeological examination](http://www.ferturperu.info/discovery-the-inca-rebellion-of-1536/) of this issue. The question is whether he had any with him at Cajamarca. And on that, I am uncertain. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-warriors-of-all-time/537098/64 "2010-04-25T08:50:35Z")
> [@UncleBill](#): > > While I don’t know these two guys from Adam, or follow the sport enough to know the difference between them and these UFC athletes (Forrest Griffin, Rashad Evans, Gabriel Gonzaga, and Marcus Davis), these four didn’t fare so well at Quantico, either in the hand to hand aspect, or the Obstacle Course, or other physical training exercise that train Marines for the rigors of combat. Whether they have the intestinal fortitude to kill, noone can say until they are faced with it. > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhxDQgbuZ3o](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhxDQgbuZ3o) > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pj9wpZaTtyM](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pj9wpZaTtyM) Do you have any examples of marines who became noted world champions in any combat sport? ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-warriors-of-all-time/537098/65 "2010-04-25T13:12:07Z")
> [@jk1245](#): > > [Simo Hayha](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simo_H%C3%A4yh%C3%A4), Finnish sniper during the Winter War with the Soviet Union. > > Limited light and -20 to -40ºC. At least 500 confirmed kills, possibly over 800, and all in less than 100 days. “He also kept snow in his mouth so that when breathing the steam would not reveal his position.” Awesome! ---
**Author:** ![Donovan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@Donovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donovan)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-warriors-of-all-time/537098/66 "2010-04-25T14:52:14Z")
- Unnecessarily snarky, doesn’t add anything to the discussion, and really doesn’t belong in general questions. Retracted.\* ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-warriors-of-all-time/537098/67 "2010-04-25T15:02:06Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > The question is whether he had any with him at Cajamarca. And on that, I am uncertain. The surviving accounts of him and his men say that he didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-warriors-of-all-time/537098/68 "2010-04-25T15:49:50Z")
> [@ivan\_astikov](#): > > Do you have any examples of marines who became noted world champions in any combat sport? Nope. And if the OP had asked about the greatest combat sport champion of all time, I would have kept quiet. Combat Warriors are not always about size, strength, quickness, or the like. Audie Murphy was not a large guy, would not have done well in MMA at all. But he is considered one of our country’s best warriors. He had guts and bravery and shooting skill and leadership skill. The two categories (Combat and MMA) may overlap a bit, but are generally quite different. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-warriors-of-all-time/537098/69 "2010-04-25T17:56:53Z")
Yeah, I don’t get the obsession with labeling sport-fighters as the greatest warriors. Sport-fighting isn’t war, even sport-fighting done _to the death_. In both the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire there are scattered accounts of gladiators being used as auxiliary troops in desperate times and by and large it was considered a desperation move because gladiators were not much fit for real warfare. Mainly because their training focused on showmanship and specific match ups that weren’t guaranteed to happen in real. Additionally even 2,000 years ago there was a need for warriors to operate collectively, gladiators were mostly trained in 1v1 combat (although obviously large mock battles were staged from time to time.) Both ancient Greece and ancient Rome had violent combat sports. The gladiatorial games in Rome and the pankration in Greece, by and large I don’t believe established fighters in either discipline were considered super-warriors outside of their respective venues. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-warriors-of-all-time/537098/70 "2010-04-25T18:10:04Z")
Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, alias El Cid Campeador. The name Cid is a deformation of Sidi, “Lord” in Arabic, he was called that by a captive that he released without asking for a ransom, after his first large battle; Campeador comes from his skill at jousting. Warrior, mercenary, and winner of a battle… single-handed and after death. His troops had just (and barely) conquered Valencia, but he’d been wounded by an arrow and died. The city was sieged by Muslim troops, who had taken courage from hearing that Meu Sidi was badly hurt. His wife Jimena (whose ovaries were a match for her husband’s own balls, all four being brass) ordered his body dressed up in his armor and tied to his horse. When the Muslims saw Meu Sidi astride his horse, slowly leading his troops out the gates, they left camp so fast they didn’t bother pick up their blankets. The city was later regained by the Muslims, and conquered by the final time by Jaime I el Conquistador / Jaume I el Conqueridor / James I the Conqueror of Aragon; as you can tell by the nickname, this one wasn’t exactly a weenie either. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-warriors-of-all-time/537098/71 "2010-04-25T18:12:47Z")
> [@ivan\_astikov](#): > > Do you have any examples of marines who became noted world champions in any combat sport? Gene Tunney ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-warriors-of-all-time/537098/72 "2010-04-25T18:50:15Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > Gene Tunney Ken Norton. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-warriors-of-all-time/537098/73 "2010-04-25T21:27:21Z")
Take your pick from several hundred. I give you [Operation Chariot](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Nazaire_Raid) I’ve read “The Attack on St. Nazaire” by R.E.D. Ryder and the the facts and the characters are astonishing. I’d have cacked my pants 5 minutes in. ---
**Author:** ![NOLA\_Cajun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea666f/32.png) [@NOLA\_Cajun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NOLA_Cajun)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-warriors-of-all-time/537098/74 "2010-04-25T22:11:17Z")
I kill millions daily. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-warriors-of-all-time/537098/75 "2010-04-25T22:26:18Z")
> [@NOLA\_Cajun](#): > > I kill millions daily. Welcome to the boards diarrhea! ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-warriors-of-all-time/537098/76 "2010-04-26T03:26:07Z")
From 2 Samuel 23: Adino the Eznite, killed 800 in one battle Eleazar, son of Dodo: Killed till his arm was too tired to hold a sword Abishai, brother of Joab: 300 men in one battle Best wishes, hh ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-warriors-of-all-time/537098/77 "2010-04-26T03:56:52Z")
nebermint. hh ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-warriors-of-all-time/537098/78 "2010-04-26T12:22:22Z")
Personally I consider someone who is raised from birth in a martial culture as a warrior, rather then someone who takes up the job as an adult for a set length of years. That person I consider to be a soldier, a very different kettle of fish. Also I think that someone using stand off weapons only, as in firearms is also not a warrior. A warrior I.M.O. kills with weapons used hand to hand against his enemy. My candidates are Edward the First (Hammer of the Scots) , Richard the Third and Richard the LionHeart who though kings were renkowned for their courage and skill at arms in face to face fighting. ---
**Author:** ![This\_Just\_In\_2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@This\_Just\_In\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/This_Just_In_2)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2010, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-warriors-of-all-time/537098/79 "2010-04-26T14:37:47Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > Pizarro > The question is whether he had any with him at Cajamarca. And on that, I am uncertain. Why is this a question - by any account I’ve read he had a small force of about 168 men at the Battle of Cajamarca This is part of the reason that the Inca ruler let them come for a meeting into an area he had stationed with his 80,000 man army. Incidentally, the Inca ruler probably was planning on killing the Spanish. Unfortunately for him the Spanish got around to killing first. If there are any cites showing the Spanish had help I’d be really interested in seeing them. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2010, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-warriors-of-all-time/537098/80 "2010-04-27T02:56:59Z")
Crud - some of mine have been posted, but I have a couple more from Cracked: [Badass Soldiers](http://www.cracked.com/funny-3020-badass-soldiers/) [6 Soldiers Who Survived Shit That Would Kill a Terminator](http://www.cracked.com/article_18429_6-soldiers-who-survived-shit-that-would-kill-terminator.html) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-warriors-of-all-time/537098.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-warriors-of-all-time/537098.md?page=5)