Famous Greek Military Leaders

Leonidas I was the king of the Greek city-state of Sparta from 489–480 BCE. He was the son of King Anaxandridas II. He is remembered for his participation in the Second Persian War, especially for his leadership at the Battle of Thermopylae. He died at the battle, gaining legendary status as the leader of the 300 Spartans.

The 5th-century BC warrior politician Themistocles has gone down in history as one of the first to consolidate the Athenian navy. He is remembered for his victories in wars such as the Battle of Salamis. His exploits have been immortalized in movies such as 300: Rise of an Empire.

Greek king Pyrrhus, son of prince Aeacides, belonged to the Hellenistic period and ruled Epirus. His destructive losses in the wars that he fought gave rise to the term “Pyrrhic victory.” He fought against Rome in the Pyrrhic War and later died while fighting a street war in Argos.

Seleucus I Nicator was Alexander the Great’s right hand in his fight against Porus in India. He became the Babylonian governor after Alexander’s death and eventually formed the Seleucid empire. His conflict with Chandragupta Maurya ended with a marital alliance, and he secured his ties by sending Megasthenes to Pataliputra.

Hephaestion was an ancient Macedonian army general and nobleman who served under Alexander the Great. A close ally of Alexander the Great, Hephaestion shared all his secrets with the former and their relationship has been compared to that of Patroclus and Achilles. Hephaestion has been portrayed in many films such as the 2004 epic historical drama film Alexander.

Miltiades the Younger was a Greek Athenian military leader who served as an eponymous archon of Athens from 524 to 523 BC. He is best remembered for playing a major role in the Battle of Marathon against the invading Persian force. The battle resulted in the crushing defeat of the Persians and gave rise to the famous Greco-Persian Wars.

Georgios Papadopoulos was a Greek soldier remembered for leading a military coup d'état in Greece in 1967, which led to a regime of the colonels that ruled Greece from 1967 to 1974. After seizing power in 1967, Papadopoulos remained Greece's dictator until 1973, when he was overthrown by Dimitrios Ioannidis. Papadopoulos also played an important role during World War II.

Lysander was a Spartan political and military leader. He is best remembered for destroying the Athenian fleet in 405 BC at the Battle of Aegospotami, forcing Athens to surrender. His actions helped bring the Peloponnesian War to an end. Lysander went on to play an important role in Sparta's domination of Greece until his death in 395 BC.

The king of Thrace and the successor of Alexander the Great, Lysimachus was initially a Macedonian general and one of the bodyguards of Alexander during his invasion in Asia. On the insistence of his third wife, Arsinoe II, he executed his eldest son, Agathocles, but was eventually killed by Seleucus.

Cleon was an Athenian general who played an important role during the Peloponnesian War. Although he is often portrayed in a negative way, Cleon is best remembered for his compassion towards the poorer citizens which helped increase his popularity; he increased the pay for jury work, providing a livelihood for many poor Athenians.

Epaminondas was a Greek statesman who is credited with transforming the Ancient Greek city-state and reshaping the political map of Greece. Epaminondas, who served as the general of Thebes, was an influential military figure who invented many important battlefield tactics. His actions led to the defeat of the Spartans and the liberation of the Messenian helots.

Theodoros Kolokotronis was a Greek general and the greatest leader of the Greek Revolution of 1821 against the Ottoman Empire. He is credited with defeating Mahmud Dramali Pasha's Ottoman army at the Battle of Dervenakia, which is widely regarded as Kolokotronis' greatest success. Today, Theodoros Kolokotronis is ranked among the most important figures in the Greek War of Independence.

Perdiccas was a general who served under Alexander the Great. He was part of Alexander's campaign against Achaemenid Persia, where he played an important role. After Alexander the Great's death, Perdiccas served as regent of the Macedonian empire and became the supreme commander of the imperial army.

Brasidas was a Spartan military officer who achieved popularity during the first decade of the famous Peloponnesian War. He fought in the battle of Pylos and Amphipolis and died in the Second Battle of Amphipolis before leading his troop to a spectacular victory in the battle.

Cimon was an Athenian statesman in mid-5th century BC Greece. Also a general, Cimon played an important role in building the dominant Athenian maritime empire. His military prowess exhibited in various battles, including the Battle of Salamis and the Battle of the Eurymedon river, established him as a celebrated military hero.

Agesilaus II reigned as the king of Sparta from 399 to 358 BC. Widely regarded as the most prominent king in the Spartan history, Agesilaus II played a vital role during the Spartan hegemony period that followed the Peloponnesian War. Although he was small in stature, Agesilaus' guerrilla warfare tactics and his bravery was seldom questioned during his time.

Alexandros Papagos was a Greek army officer who played a key role during World War II where he led the Hellenic Army. He was also influential in the final outcome of the subsequent Greek Civil War. Also a successful politician, Alexandros Papagos served as the Prime Minister of Greece from 1952 to 1955.

Pelopidas was a Theban statesman and warrior who served as a general in Greece. Pelopidas played a major role in establishing the famous Theban hegemony after the triumph over the Spartans in 371 BC at Leuctra. Many of his life events, including death, inspired artworks like paintings by artistes like Andrey Ivanov, who painted Death of Pelopidas in the early-1800s.

Philopoemen was a skilled and popular Greek general and statesman who served as an Achaean strategos on eight occasions. Starting from 209 BC, the time he was appointed as strategos, Philopoemen helped the Achaean League become a prominent military power in Greece.

Aristagoras was a political leader who led the Ionian city of Miletus during the initial stages of the Ionian Revolt against the Achaemenid Empire. The son-in-law of Histiaeus, who had ruled Miletus in the 6th century BC, Aristagoras inherited the tyranny from his father-in-law and led Miletus in the late 6th century and early 5th century BC.

Phaedon Gizikis was a Greek army general and politician who served as the President of Greece from 1973 to 1974. An important Hellenic Army officer, Gizikis took part in many battles, including the Greek Civil War and the Greco-Italian War. He also helped Georgios Papadopoulos find success in the coup d'état and earned several military posts during his dictatorial reign.

Theramenes was an Athenian statesman who played an important role during the last 10 years of the infamous Peloponnesian War. Along with Critias, Theramenes was one of the two leading members of Thirty Tyrants, a pro-Spartan oligarchy in ancient Athens.

Timoleon was a Greek general and statesman. A brilliant general, Timoleon is remembered for his fight against despotism and his association with the history of Sicily. Timoleon became the ruler of Syracuse and created a new Syracusan constitution, which was described as democratic at that time, although Timoleon did enjoy wide powers equivalent to a dictator for a short period.

Constantine Kanaris was a Greek admiral and politician. Regarded as a national hero, Kanaris played a significant role in the Greek War of Independence and helped Greece achieve its independence from the Ottoman Empire. An influential politician, Constantine Kanaris also served five terms in the office of the Prime Minister between 1844 and 1877.

Aratus of Sicyon was a military commander of the Hellenistic Army who was chosen as the strategos of the Achaean League on 17 occasions. He led the Achaean League in several military campaigns, such as the Social War and the Cleomenean War. He was also a politician and tactician under whose leadership the League became a prominent player in Greece.

Geórgios Kondílis was a Greek politician and general who played a major role in supressing the royalist revolt of 1923. An influential politician, Geórgios Kondílis also served as the Prime Minister of Greece in 1926. He was honored with the prestigious Serbian Order of the White Eagle for his wonderful political career.

Apart from being a Greek military general, who fought in the 1919-1922 Greco-Turkish War, Nikolaos Trikoupis was also a talented shooter, who had won a bronze for his country at the 1896 Athens Olympics. He was captured by the Turks and released later as part of a prisoner-of-war exchange.

Dexippus was a Greek historian, general, and statesman. He played a key role in reviving the spirit of patriotism among the men of Greece when the Heruli captured Athens in 267. Photius, the ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople, described Dexippus as second Thucydides.