You Know Alexander The Great, But What About Epaminondas?

History remembers the victors, but what about the strategists who made it happen? From ancient battlefields to modern wars, countless brilliant generals shaped the fate of nations, only to fade from popular memory. Here are 20 of history's greatest forgotten generals who deserve some recognition.

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1. Sun Pin

Sun Pin was one of the greatest military strategists in Chinese history. His kneecaps were removed by a jealous competitor, so he couldn't fight as a soldier, but despite this, he still served as a military advisor, using his tactical brilliance to orchestrate one of the most famous ambushes in Chinese history. His treatise was lost for centuries until it was uncovered in an ancient tomb in the 1970s. 

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2. Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa

Largely overshadowed by Augustus, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa played a crucial role in the creation of the Roman Empire. He was a strategic genius who built and trained a powerful fleet from the ground up. Without him, Augustus might've never defeated Antony.

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3. Xiang Yu 

Xiang Yu was an ancient Chinese military leader during the collapse of the Qin Dynasty. Famous for his fearlessness and charisma, he was the main rival to Liu Bang, who later became Emperor Gaozu, but he had no political acumen. He committed suicide after being surrounded by Liu Bang's forces. 

ShangGuan Zhou（上官周） on Wikimedia

4. Alexander Suvorov

Alexander Suvorov was a military commander who served under Catherine the Great, Paul I, and Alexander I. Famously undefeated in battle, he's considered one of the greatest strategists of all time alongside Hannibal, Napoleon, and Alexander the Great, though not nearly as famous outside of Russia.

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5. William Slim

"Britain's forgotten general," William Slim, is best known for commanding the British Fourteenth Army in Burma during WWII. He transformed a demoralized and weak regiment into a strong, unified force. He's often considered one of the greatest commanders of the 20th century, but his campaign was overshadowed by the European and North African fronts.

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6. Holland M. Smith

Holland M. Smith was a pioneer of modern amphibious warfare. A controversial figure, he was known for his fiery temper and intense yet effective leadership style. He commanded Marines in some of the most brutal campaigns during WWII.

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7. Pyrrhus Of Epirus

Pyrrhus of Epirus is the name behind the term "Pyrrhic victory," a win that costs more than it's worth. He was the king of Epirus, a region in Greece, who was invited to fight the Romans. He often won battles with his tactical genius, even when he was vastly outnumbered, but he didn't have the resources to sustain his victories. 

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8. Baibars

Baibars was known for his role in defending the Islamic world against the Crusaders and Mongols. He played a key role in the defeat of the Mongols in Palestine, the first major Mongol defeat, and led campaigns that captured Crusader strongholds, weakening European influence in the region. Despite his instrumental role in shaping the Islamic world, he is far less remembered in Western history than Genghis Khan or Saladin.

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9. Epaminondas

Epaminondas was a Greek military strategist and a statesman in the 4th century, credited with ending Sparta's dominance in the region. Although overshadowed by Alexander the Great, he is remembered in military history as one of Greece's greatest tacticians.

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10. Khalid Ibn Al-Walid

Khalid Ibn Al-Walid, often called “The Sword of Allah,” is celebrated for his role in early Islamic conquests. He led campaigns against Persian and Byzantine forces in the Levant, winning decisive battles that paved the way for Muslim control of the area. 

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11. John Churchill, Duke Of Marlborough

The first Duke of Marlborough, John Churchill, is widely considered one of Britain's greatest commanders, but he's not as famous as Wellington or Napoleon. He fought against French forces in the War of the Spanish Succession, helping secure Britain's spot as a major European power.

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12. Subotai

Everyone knows Genghis Khan, but he would be nothing without his chief strategist, Subotai. Although he lacked Genghis Khan's charisma, he was the brain behind the largest coordinated military campaigns in world history at the time. 

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13. Nguyen Hue

Nguyen Hue (later Emperor Quang Trung) is one of Vietnam's greatest military leaders. Known for his lightning-fast attacks and ambushes, he was instrumental in the consolidation of the country. Although he's celebrated in Vietnam, he's less known outside of the country.

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14. David IV Of Georgia

David IV of Georgia is one of the most notable military figures in the Caucasus, but is largely unknown outside of the region. He is famous for uniting Georgia and reforming its army, reclaiming Georgian lands, strengthening the country's borders, and laying the groundworks for Georgia's Golden Age.

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15. Basil II

Basil II, also called "Basil the Bulgar-Slayer,” was one of the most fearsome generals of the medieval era. He is famous in Byzantine history, but largely unknown outside of that. He conquered parts of the Caucasus, the Balkans, and southern Italy, strengthening the Byzantine Empire.

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16. Nader Shah

Nader Shah was the founder of the Afsharid dynasty (modern-day Iran). He reunited Persia after the collapse of the Safavid dynasty, expanded Persian territory, and expelled invaders. His actions helped shape the Middle East, but he's not as well-remembered as other military leaders of the time.

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17. Xenophon

Xenophon is remembered as a historian and philosopher, but he was also a brilliant military strategist. He led a Greek mercenary army of around 10,000 men through harsh conditions and hostile Persian territory, chronicling it in his work Anabasis.

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18. Nuno Álvares Pereira

Nuno Álvares Pereira is one of Portugal's greatest military commanders. He led the Portuguese to victory against the Castilian army in the 14th century, despite being outnumbered. He used innovation, discipline, and bravery to secure Portugal's independence.

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19. Jan Žižka

Jan Žižka is one of the most innovative generals in world history; however, he's relatively unknown outside of Eastern Europe. He was a Czech military leader known for leading Hussite forces against Crusader armies. He famously never lost a battle, despite being blind in one eye, and later, completely blind.

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20. Vo Nguyen Giap

Vo Nguyen Giap was a Vietnamese general and one of the 20th century's most brilliant strategists. He's known for mingling guerrilla tactics with conventional warfare, often gaining a leg-up over much more powerful opponents such as the American army in the Vietnam War. While celebrated in Vietnam, he is largely underappreciated outside of the country, particularly in the West.

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