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Greatest, Most Pivotal

Caesar beats Alexander, Patton, Khan etal over at the Oxford Medievalist’s. You’ll want to read his Caesar take. And check the new poll in the lefthand column, Most Pivotal Event in History.

Exodus through Sept. 11.  Maybe overbroad, though given the brevity of human history, not necessarily. I’m mulling Gutenberg vs. Internet right now, but this list requires revisiting.

Topics: blogs

  Posted by Jules Crittenden at 11:37 pm on Saturday, July 28, 2007

7 Responses to “Greatest, Most Pivotal”

1. Robert Says:
   July 29th, 2007 at 9:47 am

   I picked Charles Martel. If the Muslims had taken over Europe, the Aztecs would still rule Mexico.

2. Sissy Willis Says:
   July 29th, 2007 at 11:03 am

   The nternet is just the latest variation on the printing press theme, but the potential for mischief — for good or ill — expands exponentially, given the ability of lies and half truths to go all the way around the world while the truth is still putting boots on.

3. Sissy Willis Says:
   July 29th, 2007 at 11:03 am

   . . . internet, that is . . .

4. RebeccaH Says:
   July 29th, 2007 at 12:28 pm

   I agonized over the Ten Commandments and the Greco-Persian War. I finally went with the Ten Commandments, because I believe that set the stage for all later developments in the West. The Greco-Persian war was certainly important, defending West from East, but perhaps it would have happened eventually anyway.

5. RebeccaH Says:
   July 29th, 2007 at 12:29 pm

   And btw, I voted for Caesar. Go Caesar!

6. Angevin13 Says:
   July 29th, 2007 at 12:41 pm

   It may be that the poll choices are overboard, but I caught quite a bit of flack - some legitimate, some ridiculous - over my initial choices for the “military commander poll.” this time ’round, I think I covered all my bases.

   I’m agonizing over my choice, as well. I don’t want to prejudice the vote, but I’ll probably wind up going with the Frankish defeat of the Muslims at Tours in 732.

   I’m surprised the conversion on the Road to Damascus isn’t getting more love. St Paul nearly won my “greatest influence on Western civilization” poll.

7. Dave Surls Says:
   July 29th, 2007 at 1:40 pm

   I doubt if anyone could accurately evaluate all the information about all of history’s great military leaders and pick the best. There’s simply too much data.

   I’d say Julius Caesar was a pretty successful general, though he did made a serious political error at the end of his career.

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