Command: Alexander, Hannibal, Caesar...: Masters Of

: Being "soldiers for all seasons," capable of shifting from conventional war to counterinsurgency or urban combat.

: Driven by philotimia (love of honor) and megalopsychia (greatness of soul).

: Mastery of battle tactics, operations, and broad political goals. Masters of Command: Alexander, Hannibal, Caesar...

Strauss identifies ten traits that these commanders shared, though each displayed them in varying degrees:

: A mix of decisive command and the "common touch" that earned their soldiers' trust. : Being "soldiers for all seasons," capable of

: The ability to build and maintain a deadly, unified war machine.

In his book Masters of Command: Alexander, Hannibal, Caesar, and the Genius of Leadership , historian Barry Strauss analyzes the leadership of the ancient world's three greatest generals through ten critical qualities and five stages of war. The Ten Qualities of Command Strauss identifies ten traits that these commanders shared,

: The strategic use of massacres and harsh punishment to break enemy resistance.