Spartacus was a Thracian (a group of Indo-European tribes in Eastern and Southeastern Europe) gladiator and the leader of a famous slave revolt against the Roman Republic (73-71 BC). Before the rebellion, he trained as a heavyweight gladiator. He escaped in 73BC along with many other slaves. Leading his army of runaway slaves, Spartacus won a series of attacks against the Roman army. Spartacus is well-known for his war tactics, which, in modern days, is known as guerrilla warfare (untraditional fighting tactics used by a small, mobile army that often include an element of surprise). 

Cleopatra (VII) was the last ruler of the Ptolemaic Dynasty, ruling Egypt from 51 BC - 30 BC. After her death, Egypt became a province of the Roman Empire. She was said to be a wise and perceptive leader who brought a period of safety and wealth to a country split and devastated by civil war. She was also well-known for her beauty and much celebrated love affairs with the Roman regents, Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. When her father died in 51 BC, she became co-ruler with her 10-year-old brother Ptolemy XIII and married him in line with Egyptian tradition. Whilst in exile, she fell in love with Caesar and was restored as queen with Roman military support. She even had a child with Caesar, though he never publicly acknowledged this. After Caesar’s murder, Mark Antony, one of the contenders for power, began a strategic and romantic partnership with Cleopatra. They had two sons and a daughter together. Cleopatra’s life ended up in suicide after her alliance with Antony was defeated by Caesar's adopted son, Octavian. 

Alexander the Great (356-323 BC) was the king of Macedonia and is famous for being a great conqueror that changed the nature of the ancient world in less than a decade (10 years). He was educated by Greek philosopher Aristotle, who shaped a lot of his thinking. After succeeding the throne after his father’s murder, Alexander unified ancient Greece and re-established the League of Corinth, a federation of Greek city-states. Against overwhelming odds, he led his army to victories defeating the Persian Empire and Egypt without suffering a single defeat. In 331 BC, he created the city of Alexandria in Egypt, designed as a hub for Greek trade and culture. His winning army reached as far as Northern India where he defeated and reinstalled Porus as King after finding himself impressed by him. During his career and rule, he oversaw an Empire united by a common Greek language and culture that stretched across three continents, covered around two million square miles and included a range of diverse, ethnic groups. The Empire, however, soon collapsed after his death in 323 BC. 

Although there were many great warriors in British history who have fought to keep Britain free, Boudicca stands out as a formidable leader whose name shouldn’t be forgotten. Boudicca was the Celtic Queen of the Iceni tribe of modern-day East Anglia, Britain. She led an uprising against Rome in 60/61 AD. Her husband, Prasutagus, wanted to win over the Romans by making the Roman Emperor and his daughters co-heirs to his kingdom. But the Romans decided to rule directly over Britain. After Prasutagus’s death, it was said that Boudicca was publicly whipped. But she soon rebelled with other tribes and fought against the Roman rule. Her warriors successfully defeated the Roman Ninth Legion and destroyed Colchester (the then capital of Roman Britain), London and St Albans. Despite finally suffering defeat and poisoning herself to death, Boudicca is considered a courageous, historical figure in what she did in her fight for Britain’s independence.