Notable Figures

Alexander the Great

356 BCE - 323 BCE

Hellenistic Period

Macedonian king who created one of the largest empires in ancient history

Alexander III of Macedon, commonly known as Alexander the Great, was born to King Philip II and Queen Olympias. Tutored by Aristotle in his youth, he...

Aristotle

384 BCE - 322 BCE

Classical Greece

Greek philosopher and polymath, tutor of Alexander the Great

Aristotle was born in Stagira, Macedonia, to a physician named Nicomachus who served the Macedonian court. At age 17, he joined Plato's Academy in Ath...

Cleopatra VII

69 BCE - 30 BCE

Ptolemaic Period

Last active pharaoh of Ancient Egypt

Cleopatra VII Philopator was the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt. Born to Ptolemy XII Auletes, she was of Macedonian Greek descent...

Ephialtes

500 BCE - 461 BCE

Greek traitor at Thermopylae

Ephialtes was an ancient Athenian statesman and leader of the democratic movement in Athens during the 5th century BCE. He is primarily known for his...

Homer

800 BCE - 701 BCE

Archaic Greece

Ancient Greek poet, author of the Iliad and Odyssey

Homer is the legendary author credited with composing the Iliad and the Odyssey, two foundational works of ancient Greek literature and Western civili...

Julius Caesar

100 BCE - 44 BCE

Late Roman Republic

Roman general and statesman who played a critical role in transforming the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire

Gaius Julius Caesar was born into a patrician Roman family and rose to become one of history's most influential figures. After serving in the military...

Khafre

2520 BCE - 2494 BCE

Khafre (also known as Chephren or Khafra) was the fourth pharaoh of the Fourth Dynasty of Ancient Egypt during the Old Kingdom period. He was the son...

Khufu

2609 BCE - 2584 BCE

Khufu (also known as Cheops in Greek) was the second pharaoh of the Fourth Dynasty of ancient Egypt during the Old Kingdom period. He was the son of S...

Leonidas I

540 BCE - 480 BCE

Spartan

Spartan king who led the 300

Leonidas I was a king of the Greek city-state of Sparta, belonging to the Agiad dynasty. He became king around -490 BCE after the death of his half-br...

Plato

428 BCE - 348 BCE

Classical Greece

Greek philosopher, founder of the Academy in Athens

Plato was born into an aristocratic family in Athens, Greece. His real name was Aristocles, with 'Plato' being a nickname possibly referring to his br...

Ptolemy I

367 BCE - 283 BCE

Hellenistic Period

Founder of the Ptolemaic Kingdom and the Library of Alexandria

Ptolemy I Soter was a Macedonian general under Alexander the Great who became the founder of the Ptolemaic Kingdom in Egypt. Born to a noble Macedonia...

Ramesses II

1303 BCE - 1213 BCE

New Kingdom Egypt

Egyptian pharaoh known as Ramesses the Great

Ramesses II, also known as Ramesses the Great, was one of ancient Egypt's most powerful and celebrated pharaohs. Born into the royal family as the son...