Top 10 Greatest Warriors Who Ever Lived

Top 10 Greatest Warriors Who Ever Lived

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 greatest warriors who ever lived.

For this list, we’ll be looking at the fighters, soldiers, and generals who displayed the greatest skills in conquest and on the battlefield.

If there’s a warrior whose absence from our list you’re feeling combative about, put up your dukes in the comments!

#10: Richard the Lionheart

It’s arguable that Richard I wasn’t a good king. After all, he only reigned for 10 years, of which he spent maybe six months in England; most of his efforts were devoted towards funding the Third Crusade. But the things that made him a bad ruler, made him a great warrior. His skill and determination in battle was legendary. One anecdote even holds that Richard used a crossbow to pick off guards on a wall while ill and carried on a stretcher! No wonder he got a nickname like “Lionheart.” Although the Third Crusade proved unsuccessful, Richard’s bravery abroad and in his own lands, which included much of France, helped secure his legacy.

#9: Hannibal

This Carthaginian general gave Rome a run for its money! Widely regarded as one of the greatest military leaders in antiquity, Hannibal had everything a good general should have - charisma among his men, curiosity about his foes and the environment, a brilliant tactical mind, and plenty of daring. His crossing of the Alps in 218 BC wasn’t just incredible because he brought elephants with him - Hannibal organized it during a time when there weren’t reliable maps! He outthought and outmaneuvered the Romans’ superior forces on their home territory for nearly 20 years, and basically financed the war himself. Carthage may have lost eventually, but Hannibal didn’t make it easy for Rome, and history has remembered him for it.

#8: Attila the Hun

Speaking of scourges of Rome, one of the Western and Eastern Empires’ most deadly foes was Attila the Hun. With one exception, Attila was undefeated in battle. His nomadic empire stretched across most of Eastern Europe. He plagued the Eastern Roman Empire through repeated attacks, demanding tribute to cease his depredations and then breaking his treaties when it suited him. He also ravaged most of the Western Roman Empire, devastating their outlying provinces and most of Italy. While he may not have destroyed either of the Roman Empires outright, he certainly brought both of them to their knees and sowed the seeds for their eventual defeats.

#7: King Leonidas I

This legendary warrior king is more than just the memes. Leonidas was king of the Greek city state Sparta during the 5th century BCE. Although most kings were not trained in Sparta’s rigorous testing methods, Leonidas was not expected to inherit the throne, and so was instructed as a warrior from a young age. And inherit he did, with Leonidas going on to lead an alliance of Greeks at the Battle of Thermopylae. Along with his famous 300 Spartan hoplites, Leonidas commanded a force of roughly 7,000 Greeks against anywhere between 10 and 42 times that number of Persian soldiers. The king may have fallen in this famous battle, but his deeds have lasted millennia.

#6: Spartacus

Of all the warriors who challenged Rome, Spartacus is arguably the most famous. An enslaved soldier turned gladiator, Spartacus famously escaped bondage with his fellow gladiators to form a massive rebellion against the Roman Republic in the 1st century BCE. While most of those under his command were untrained, Spartacus emerged victorious time and time again, thanks to unconventional tactics and daring attacks. On one occasion, he even had his men use ropes made from vines to descend Mount Vesuvius and flank enemy forces. While Spartacus may have been defeated after his armies became too unwieldy to direct, his legacy as a warrior and liberator has echoed through the ages.

#5: Vlad the Impaler

Vlad III, also known as Vlad Dracula, ruled Wallachia, modern day Romania, in the 15th century. Downright infamous for how vicious he could be to his enemies, Vlad the Impaler got his name through his preferred form of execution and torture. His reputation for cruelty influenced “Dracula,” and other legends of vampires. However, Vlad was also a formidable warrior and leader. He repelled Ottoman incursions into Europe numerous times. His night raid on Târgoviște saw him dress his men as Turks and infiltrate their camp, sowing confusion and leading his foes to attack themselves! While there’s no denying he was a sadistic despot, Vlad the Impaler was effective on the battlefield.

#4: Julius Caesar

One of the most famous men in history, Gaius Julius Caesar is also one of the most celebrated generals. Caesar may have been unsuccessful in conquering Britannia, but his conquest of Gaul (modern France), helped make him popular and influential. His charisma bought him incredible loyalty among his men, and his swift, decisive actions on the battlefield often led to success. He even wrote books about his own campaigns. Caesar rode the wave of his success to become Rome’s first dictator. And while he famously met his end in the senate, Caesar’s accomplishments were nevertheless titanic!

#3: Miyamoto Musashi

There are many legendary samurai in Japan’s history, but they all pale in comparison to Miyamoto Musashi. Miyamoto was basically the archetypal lone samurai warrior, or ronin. He developed his own style of swordsmanship, Niten Ichi-ryū, which utilizes two swords. Miyamoto also authored books on his life and philosophy, and created artwork. But he’s most renowned for his incredible prowess in battle, fighting 61 duels in his life and losing none of them. Not only was he skilled with swords, but Miyamoto also manipulated his opponents, arriving late to make them angry and prone to mistakes. Miyamoto Musashi continues to inspire to this day, through both his teachings and his deeds.

#2: Genghis Khan

In the list of the greatest conquerors in history, Genghis Khan might be the most successful. By the time of his death, most of central Asia was under Mongol rule. Genghis’s innovations in organization helped make his troops more effective. His cavalry could fire arrows from horseback. He used terror tactics to force his enemies to capitulate. But Genghis also organized his empire as a meritocracy, with success and skill providing advancement rather than blood. Through such strategies, Genghis Khan destroyed entire empires and left millions dead in his wake. Many of his deeds were monstress, but he was undeniably powerful.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Sir William Wallace
A Major Leader for Scottish Independence

Saladin
This Famed Muslim Military Leader Stopped Richard I in His Tracks!

Sun Tzu
The Chinese General Literally Wrote the Book on War!

Joan of Arc
A Teenage Girl Managed to Become One of France’s Greatest Heroes

#1: Alexander the Great

Alexander III of Macedon not only set the bar for Alexanders, but he also did so for warriors. He was admired by many of the entries on our list, including Julius Caesar and Hannibal. The larger-than-life warrior set out to and achieved the conquest of the seemingly invincible Persian Empire. Some things that helped Alexander become so successful were his incorporation of local customs and recruitment as he conquered, as well as “hammer and anvil” tactics in battle. By the time of his death at age 32, Alexander the Great was undefeated in battle and had established an empire that spanned from Greece to India! His infallible record, meteoric rise, and impact on the world have cemented him as history’s greatest warrior.