In Norse (Viking) mythology, the god of wisdom and knowledge. Known as the “All-Father,” his children include Thor and Balder. He has only one eye, having traded the other one for a sip from Well of Wisdom during his visit to the great World Tree

The king of Babylon who compiled the first set of written laws. His code of laws was based on the idea of “an eye for an eye.”

The first Norman king of England, he launched the Norman conquest of England in 1066. His reign was marked by the construction of castles and the spread of feudalism.

Egyptian pharaoh (king) of the old kingdom who had the Great Pyramid at Giza, the most famous of Egypt’s pyramid, built as his tomb.

Egyptian pharaoh known as the “Boy King” whose nearly intact tomb, which was found in 1922 by British archaeologist Howard Carter, received worldwide press coverage and sparked a renewed public interest in ancient Egypt.

The first female Egyptian Pharaoh. She declared herself Pharaoh after being named regent for her young step-son upon her husband’s death. Regarded by Egyptologists as one of the most successful pharaohs, she expanded Egypt’s power through trade.

Regarded as the greatest, most celebrated, and most powerful pharaoh of the Egyptian Empire. A great military leader, he expanded Egypt’s territory and commissioned a number of building projects. Some historians believe him to be the Pharaoh from the story of Moses in the Bible.

Philosopher considered to be the most respected person in Chinese history. His philosophy became a guide for the way people lived. He stressed personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice, kindness, and sincerity.

Sumerian king who is a major hero in ancient Mesopotamian mythology and the main character of an epic poem considered the oldest great work of literature in history. The epic tells of his adventures with the wild-man Enkidu and his search for eternal life.

A son of Zeus and a mortal woman, he was the greatest of the Greek heroes. After being driven crazy by Zeus’s wife, Hera, he completed 12 labors to make up for the death of his family.

One of the Twelve Olympians in ancient Greek myth, god of the sea, storms, earthquakes and horses. Considered one of the most bad-tempered, moody and greedy Olympian gods, he was known to be vengeful when insulted.

Greek god of the dead and king of the Underworld,the unseen realm to which the souls of the dead go upon leaving the world, as well as any and all things beneath the earth. His wife and queen is Persephone, whom he kidnapped.

Egyptian god of chaos and the desert. He killed his own brother out of jealousy and spread his pieces throughout Egypt. He was finally defeated by his nephew, Horus, after his brother’s resurrection .

Greek God of the sky and thunder, he ruled as king of the gods of Mount Olympus. He fathered many divine and heroic children, including Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Hermes, Persephone, Dionysus, Perseus, Heracles, Helen of Troy, Minos, and the Muses.

English philosopher who wrote about the purpose of governments. He believed that people needed governments to protect their natural rights, and that without a government we would live in a state of nature. Thomas Jefferson took many of his ideas when he wrote the Declaration of Independence.

The Greek goddess of wisdom, craft, and war. In Greek mythology, she was believed to have been born from the forehead of her father Zeus. In the founding myth of Athens, she bested Poseidon in a competition over the city by creating the first olive tree

The Greek god of war. He is one of the Twelve Olympians, and the son of Zeus and Hera. In Greek myth, he represents the violent aspect of war.

Ancient Greek philosopher considered to be the main source of Western thought. Teacher of Plato, he was sentenced to death for his method of questioning.

Ancient Greek philosopher, student of Socrates and a teacher of Aristotle. His writings explored justice, beauty and equality. He founded the Academy in Athens, the first school of higher learning in the Western world.

Ancient Greek philosopher and scientist who is considered one of the greatest thinkers of all time. After graduating Plato’s Academy, he began tutoring Alexander the Great. He later founded his own school in Athens, where he spent most of the rest of his life studying, teaching and writing. He is credited with creating the Scientific Method.

Greek poet and author of the epic poems the Iliad and the Odyssey, which formed the basis of Greek Mythology.

King of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires of the ancient world by the age of thirty. He was undefeated in battle and is widely considered one of history's most successful military commanders.

Prophet and lawgiver who, according to the Bible, led the Israelites out of Egypt and received the Ten Commandments from God.

Italian sculptor and painter considered by many to be the greatest artist of all time. His works include the statue David and the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

Teenage peasant girl who led the French army at the Battle of Orleans against the British and was later burned as a witch by the Catholic Church.

In Roman mythology, one of the twin brothers whose story tells the events that led to the founding of the city of Rome and the Roman Kingdom. He killed his brother during an argument about where the city should be built.

Roman statesperson and general. He was dictator of Rome until he was murdered by members of the Senate. He played a critical role in the events that led to the end of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire.

The First Roman Emperor, he led Rome’s transformation from republic to empire following the assassination of his uncle. His rule laid the foundations of the 200-year Pax Romana (Roman Peace)

Ancient Roman poet and author of the epic poem the Aeneid, a continuation of Homer’s Iliad, which told the story of the founding of Rome

King of the Franks and emperor of the Romans. Called the "Father of Europe," he united the majority of western and central Europe. He strengthened the power of the Catholic Church, resulting in the start of the Holy Roman Empire

Gladiator who led a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic which led to the crucifixion of over 6000 Roman slaves.

Known as the “Renaissance Man,” he is considered one of the most talented individuals ever to have lived. His areas of interest included invention, painting, sculpting, science, and more. His most famous works are the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper.

One of the most powerful women of the Middle Ages, she married King Louis VII of France and then, following their divorce, King Henry II of England. She is credited with creating the knight’s code of chivalry. She led armies several times in her life, and was a leader of the Second Crusade.

Norse (Viking) explorer from Iceland who was the first known European to have set foot in North America, almost 500 years before Christopher Columbus.

The last active ruler of the Egyptian empire. A descendant of a Macedonian Greek general and companion of Alexander the Great, she became pharaoh after convincing Julius Caesar to help her to defeat her brother’s army. After her reign, Egypt became a part of the Roman Empire.

Son of Marcus Aurelius, he was the first to follow his father as emperor of Rome. His brutal misrule led to conflict in Rome that ended 84 years of peace within the empire. He often performed as a gladiator in the Colosseum and called himself the New Hercules (His opponents always submitted so as a result he never lost.) He was drowned in a bathtub by his personal trainer.

Roman general and emperor, before a battle where he was greatly outnumbered, he dreamed that he would win the battle if he fought under the sign of the Christian cross. The next day he had his soldiers paint crosses on their shields and dominated the battle. He then became the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity and made Christianity an accepted religion in the Roman Empire

Indian philosopher known as the “Enlightened One,” who gave up his worldly goods in search of enlightenment and the truth. He said to achieve enlightenment a person must follow the “Middle Way”

Byzantine Emperor who wanted to restore the Roman Empire to its former glory. He successfully regained much of the land lost by the collapse of the Roman Empire and the city of Rome. With the help of his wife, he introduced new laws that protected both slaves and women. His laws are the basis of law in Europe today.

Considered one of the greatest generals in history, he was the leader of the army for the city of Carthage (in Northern Africa) and spent his life waging war on Rome. He is remembered for marching his army, which included war elephants, across the Alps to attack Rome in a campaign lasting nearly 15 years.

Emperor of Rome from 54 A.D. until his death by suicide 14 years later. He is best known for his corruption, political murders, and persecution of Christians. He was emperor when Rome burned during the great fire of 64 A.D

The third of Rome’s emperors, he is considered one of history’s most cruel and erratic leaders. Among the most famous incidents of his reign are declaring himself a god, making his horse a member of the Senate, and declaring war on the god of the sea, Neptune. He achieved feats of waste and carnage during his four-year reign unmatched by any other leader.His extravagant behavior led him to be the first Roman emperor to be assassinated.

English poet, playwright and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language. His works include Hamlet, Julius Caesar, Taming of the Shrew and Romeo and Juliet

King of the New Babylonian Empire. He is remembered for building projects such as the Tower of Babel and the Hanging Gardens. Under his reign, Babylon became the most powerful city-state in Mesopotamia and he was considered the greatest warrior-king and ruler in the known world.

Monk who nailed his “95 Theses,” a list of complaints about the Catholic Church, to the Church door and started the first Protestant religion

Ruler of the Qin (pronounced “Chin”) dynasty and unifier of China. He outlawed most forms of religion requiring people to be loyal and obedient only to the government. He also ordered that most of the existing books be burned. Today, he may be most famous for his tomb which held a vast terracotta army of 8,000 soldiers, horses, and chariots that he thought would protect him in the afterlife.

The Egyptian god of the afterlife and the underworld. Originally the god of agriculture, he was murdered by his brother, who spread parts of his body throughout Egypt. His wife found all the pieces and wrapped his body up, enabling him to return to life as the god of the dead.

The Ancient Egyptian God of the Sun. He was believed to rule in all parts of the created world: the sky, the Earth, and the underworld. He was also the god of order, kings and the sky.

One of the most iconic queens of Britain, she led a major rebellion against the occupying Romans. Her revolt almost caused emperor Nero to abandon Britain until the Romans finally defeated her in battle.

Mythological Greek hero and greatest warrior of the Trojan War. According to legend, his mother made him invulnerable by dipping him in the River Stix, except for the heel by which she held him

Leader who ruled Athens during its Golden Age. He promoted the arts and literature and expanded democracy in Greece. He is considered the “Father of Democracy.”

Leader of the Sumerians that conquered the Fertile Crescent. The first ruler of the Akkadian Empire, he is known for his conquests of the city-states of Mesopotamia. He is often identified as the first person in recorded history to rule over an empire.

Warrior king of the Greek city-state of Sparta, he led 300 Spartans against 150,000 Persians at the Battle of Thermopylae. While defending the pass from the invading Persian army, the Spartans held back the Persians for five days until a local resident betrayed the Greeks by revealing a small path used by shepherds. Surrounded and greatly outnumbered he and his men fought to the death, delaying the Persian invasion.

Known for his great hammer Mjolnir, the Norse (Viking) god of lightning and protector of Midgard (The Earth)

Ancient Chinese philosopher, author of the Tao Te Ching, and the founder of Taoism

the Egyptian goddess of motherhood and women. When her husband Osiris was murdered, she gathered his pieces and resurrected him as the god of the underworld

God-King of Persia known for his massive invasion of Greece. While victorious at the Battle of Thermopylae, his overall defeat spelled the beginning of the decline of the Persian Empire

Japanese swordsman, philosopher, writer and Ronin, he was never defeated in a duel and is considered the greatest swordsman in history

One of India's greatest emperors, his empire covered almost the entire Indian subcontinent. After wars resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths, he renounced violence and promoted the spread of Buddhism across ancient Asia