In the last fifty years the answer is probably a present day figure. Putin.

Semi-derail but if I remember rightly, by that time it was the standard for armies to be loyal to the general commanding them, rather than to the Senate. I think that was something that came out of the wash because of Sulla.

The central point you're making stands, obviously.

You might be right on that one because it is basically now confirmed that he's constructing a mega palace for himself that costs $1 billion dollars. You can find pictures of his palace here: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/01/1...utins-mansion/

Another interesting factoid: "In US diplomatic cables published by Assange's WikiLeaks, Russia was branded a "mafia state," and media estimates put annual profits by government officials from bribery alone at nearly $300 billion."

With all of this said I might also have to give a nod to the Sultan of Brunei: http://curiousphotos.blogspot.com/20...-20-pics.html#

I've personally seen one of his many villas around the Philippines where it is heavily rumoured is filled with a harem of women. Apparently he has a few of them around the world.

Scrooge McDuck

Actually the basis for how this started, with its far-reaching implications for Rome, was instigated (unintentionally) by Gaius Marius (157 BC – January 13, 86 BC) during his consulships and his recruitment reforms for the Roman Army. Sulla was one of the first to use the reforms for personal/political advantage. It had a debilitating effect on the Republic, though instigated as an honest effort at improvement to the army; just as the Praetorian Guard eventually had a debilitating effect on the Rome Empire.

-Zeno

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrus_the_Great ?

Conquered the known world, introduced centralized government, ruled between 29 and 31 years.

The Romans had too much politics for a "richest person eva" imo. Erbody wanted a piece.

You're right, it was Marius. My mistake.

Some of the richest people must have been one of the more powerful pharaoh's and that Chinese ruler that constructed the terracotta warriors and resides in an un-excavated tomb that apparently contains jewels to represent the sky and rivers of mercury.

Okay so I did some research and I nominate Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, to be the most powerful (rated by his absolute power over his people), and richest of all time. He was the first emperor to start constructing the great wall of China, he created the terracotta warriors and here's a description of his tomb:

chinese labor is cheap

Have there ever been any trillionaires (in 2011 USD)?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Fugger

Heshen was pretty rich. A corrupt Chinese govt official who managed to amass a fortune equivalent to 15 years of government revenues.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heshen

Lord Rothschild.... /Thread

Richest person of the western age

Charles Foster Kane

Interesting read and very awkward. Seemed he liked to only stash away his wealth without using it. To have that much money and control of the purse he could have played it differently but the dude was too greedy and made too many enemies.

John D. Rockfeller , one of the richest guys lived, definetly

Couldn't have said it better myself...

What about Queen Elizabeth II, the Pope, or Black Pope? They gotta be rollin in some bilz.

prob some big drug dealer. escobar was worth like 50 billion back in the day. gotta be someone bigger and badder now


take a look at this balla


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQpyirb9yr8

Where do the Italian banking dynasties like the Medici's lie? I doubt that they are close to the top, but relatively speaking how much wealth did those guys really have?

Probably competed with the rothschilds at their peak.

Jay Gould

Nah. According to a biography I read of him (The Dark Genius of Wall Street by Edward Renahan Jr.) he comes in 8th in the US inflation adjusted comparing fortunes as percentages of GNP. Rockefeller, Vanderbilt and Astor came in the top 3.

Richness comes and goes though. Like, say, Tiger Woods would be close to the top of this list, but now post-divorce settlement and losing sponsorships, not so much.

There's a pretty solid series called "I, Claudius" from the 70s which covers Augustus through Claudius. A lot like the series Rome, and pretty cool cause it picks up about where Rome left off.

It seems that Sulla doesn't get much attention anywhere though... I agree the series Rome could have been much better had it started earlier. Actually would be sick if there was a series that started with Romulus lol.