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The Greats

Explore the lives, ideas, decisions, and lessons of history's most extraordinary people.

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Featured people

10 profile available
Early 1900s, United States1895–1948

Babe Ruth

The Slugger Who Changed Baseball

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1706–1790, Colonial America1706–1790

Benjamin Franklin

The Self-Made Polymath and Architect of American Identity

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1724–1804, Enlightenment Germany1724–1804

Immanuel Kant

Philosopher of the Categorical Imperative

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100–44 BCE, Roman Republic-100–-44

Julius Caesar

Roman General and Author of the Gallic War Commentaries

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Roman Empire121–180

Marcus Aurelius

Roman Emperor and Stoic Philosopher

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1769–1821, Revolutionary France1769–1821

Napoleon Bonaparte

Emperor of the French and Military Theorist

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1469–1527, Renaissance Italy1469–1527

Niccolò Machiavelli

Florentine diplomat and political theorist whose radical realism redefined the ethics of power.

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c. 428–348 BCE, Ancient Greece-427–-347

Plato

Philosopher of Justice and the Ideal State

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c. 470–399 BCE, Ancient Greece-470–-399

Socrates

The Gadfly of Athens

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6th century BCE, China-544–-496

Sun Tzu

Ancient Chinese military strategist and author of The Art of War

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