One of the Greatest Generals in the World

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Merchant of Mogadishu

From Pella to Pattala, then back to Babylon
There is no doubt in my mind that Alexander the Great was one of the greatest generals in the world. Just watch this:




 
His father Philip II and Hannibal Barca were more impressive. Read up on Philip, that guy turned Macedon, a fractured tribal state with enemies on all sides, into a superpower.
 
Sounds like we need a Philip in Somalia

Yeah, he was an amazing guy. His son wouldn't have done anything if Philip hadn't redeveloped and modified the Macedonian army, united all the tribes and clans and destroyed not only the barbarians to the North but also smashed the Greeks to the South. But he was a bit of a saqajaan. He had lovers all over the place and lots of wives. In the end, he was killed by his former bodyguard, some say due to homosexual jealousy and others say it was on the orders of his chief wife Olympias (Alexander's mother).

There's also Pyrrhus of Epirus, Alexander's cousin, who was said to be considered one of the greatest, if not the greatest general in ancient history by Hannibal. Alexander's family produced 3 of the greatest commanders in history.
 

Merchant of Mogadishu

From Pella to Pattala, then back to Babylon
Alexander was Macedonian, not Greek


Macedonians are Greek. That's a fact. The ancient Macedonians spoke Greek and they were descendants of Greeks from the ancient city of Argos. Why do think the royal family was called the Argead dynasty?

The reason why Southern Greeks didn't like them was because they were closest to the Thracians and other tribes to the north, so they had a sizeable population of them also because they were ruled by kings and was not a democracy, just like how they hated Sparta.
 

Merchant of Mogadishu

From Pella to Pattala, then back to Babylon
His father Philip II and Hannibal Barca were more impressive. Read up on Philip, that guy turned Macedon, a fractured tribal state with enemies on all sides, into a superpower.


One of the great mysteries of history is that whether Phillip would've won those same exact battles with his army like Alexander. Phillip was amazing I cannot deny that.

Hannibal was amazing too but let me give a quote from his own cavalry commander Maharbal to show why I don't think he's better than Alexander:


"You, Hannibal, know how to gain a victory; you do not know how to use it."
 
One of the great mysteries of history is that whether Phillip would've won those same exact battles with his army like Alexander. Phillip was amazing I cannot deny that.

Hannibal was amazing too but let me give a quote from his own cavalry commander Maharbal to show why I don't think he's better than Alexander:


"You, Hannibal, know how to gain a victory; you do not know how to use it."

Hannibal didn't have the resources that Alexander had. Plus Hannibal was facing Rome at her best, while Alexander conquered a decadent and corrupted Persian Empire.

Carthage was reluctant to supply Hannibal with anything. For 13 years he fought and beat Rome on her home soil with nothing more than an ill-equipped and under-supplied army of mercenaries. That quote from Maharbal was after the victory of Cannae, when Hannibal butchered 50,000 Roman soldiers in one battle. Maharbal wanted him to march on Rome and lay siege to it, but he didn't have the siege equipment, so Hannibal couldn't possibly do that.
 

Merchant of Mogadishu

From Pella to Pattala, then back to Babylon
Hannibal didn't have the resources that Alexander had. Plus Hannibal was facing Rome at her best, while Alexander conquered a decadent and corrupted Persian Empire.

Carthage was reluctant to supply Hannibal with anything. For 13 years he fought and beat Rome on her home soil with nothing more than an ill-equipped and under-supplied army of mercenaries. That quote from Maharbal was after the victory of Cannae, when Hannibal butchered 50,000 Roman soldiers in one battle. Maharbal wanted him to march on Rome and lay siege to it, but he didn't have the siege equipment, so Hannibal couldn't possibly do that.


That's very true

However, when Hannibal did have the resources and was fighting on his own turf in Africa, he was decisively defeated by the Romans at the battle of Zama.

So I still think Alexander was better.

:manny:
 
That's very true

However, when Hannibal did have the resources and was fighting on his own turf in Africa, he was decisively defeated by the Romans at the battle of Zama.

So I still think Alexander was better.

:manny:

Zama was different. Hannibal had a much inferior army in Africa. Also, his greatest weapon against the Romans, his Numedian cavalry, defected to the Romans along with Massinissa. His soldiers at Zama were mostly raw recruits while Scipio had veterans from his campaigns in Spain and Italy. They had something to prove, as many were survivors of battles against Hannibal and his brothers. It wasn't a fair match-up.

But again Hannibal was facing Scipio, the greatest general in Rome's history, while Alexander faced Darius, some old guy who came to power through intrigue and with no stomach for war. The Persian soldiers were vastly inferior in training and tactics to a veteran Roman legion with Numidian horseman (the best cavalry in the world).
 

Merchant of Mogadishu

From Pella to Pattala, then back to Babylon
Zama was different. Hannibal had a much inferior army in Africa. Also, his greatest weapon against the Romans, his Numedian cavalry, defected to the Romans along with Massinissa. His soldiers at Zama were mostly raw recruits while Scipio had veterans from his campaigns in Spain and Italy. They had something to prove, as many were survivors of battles against Hannibal and his brothers. It wasn't a fair match-up.

But again Hannibal was facing Scipio, the greatest general in Rome's history, while Alexander faced Darius, some old guy who came to power through intrigue and with no stomach for war. The Persian soldiers were vastly inferior in training and tactics to a veteran Roman legion with Numidian horseman (the best cavalry in the world).

I can't deny that sxb. Both Alexander and Hannibal are one of the greatest in history. Only a few others come close or beat them.
 
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