Here is a list of the most historically significant person alive from 3500 BC through AD 2000. Using the Pantheon.World rankings (check out their site for methodology), I ranked the “most significant” people alive at any given time and created a timeline where the championship belt, as it were, was passed from one historical figure to another. “Most significant” does not necessarily mean “best”, but rather most impactful – either during their lifetime, after their death, or both. See below the Champions of Light and the Champions of Dark. (Rankings exported March, 2020)
Interestingly, since the 8th Century BCE when the Arts and Philosophy began to take off, there have been exactly 53 Champions of Expression (Art/Philosophy/Science) and 53 Champions of Institution (Military/Politics/Religion). The balance between Light and Dark persists.
| Person | Occupation | Birth | Death | Birthplace |
| Donald Trump | Politician | 1946 | — | United States |
| Nelson Mandela | Social Activist | 1918 | 2013 | South Africa |
| Che Guevara | Social Activist | 1928 | 1967 | Argentina |
| Adolf Hitler | Politician | 1889 | 1945 | Austria |
| Albert Einstein | Physicist | 1879 | 1955 | Germany |
| Vladimir Lenin | Politician | 1870 | 1924 | Russia |
| Thomas Edison | Inventor | 1847 | 1931 | United States |
| Karl Marx | Economist | 1818 | 1883 | Germany |
| Charles Darwin | Biologist | 1809 | 1882 | United Kingdom |
| Carl Friedrich Gauss | Mathematician | 1777 | 1855 | Germany |
| Ludwig van Beethoven | Composer | 1770 | 1827 | Germany |
| Napoleon | Politician | 1769 | 1821 | France |
| Thomas Jefferson | Politician | 1743 | 1826 | United States |
| Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Composer | 1756 | 1791 | Austria |
| Adam Smith | Economist | 1723 | 1790 | United Kingdom |
| Johann Sebastian Bach | Composer | 1685 | 1750 | Germany |
| Isaac Newton | Physicist | 1643 | 1726 | United Kingdom |
| Louis XIV of France | Politician | 1638 | 1715 | France |
| Rembrandt | Painter | 1606 | 1669 | Netherlands |
| René Descartes | Philosopher | 1596 | 1650 | France |
| Galileo Galilei | Astronomer | 1564 | 1642 | Italy |
| William Shakespeare | Writer | 1564 | 1616 | United Kingdom |
| Elizabeth I of England | Politician | 1533 | 1603 | United Kingdom |
| Michelangelo | Painter | 1475 | 1564 | Italy |
| Martin Luther | Religion | 1483 | 1546 | Germany |
| Nicolaus Copernicus | Astronomer | 1473 | 1543 | Poland |
| Leonardo da Vinci | Inventor | 1452 | 1519 | Italy |
| Christopher Columbus | Explorer | 1451 | 1506 | Italy |
| Vlad the Impaler | Politician | 1431 | 1476 | Romania |
| Johannes Gutenberg | Inventor | 1394 | 1468 | Germany |
| Jan Hus | Social Activist | 1369 | 1415 | Czech Republic |
| Timur | Military | 1336 | 1405 | Uzbekistan |
| Petrarch | Writer | 1304 | 1374 | Italy |
| Marco Polo | Explorer | 1254 | 1324 | Italy |
| Thomas Aquinas | Philosopher | 1225 | 1274 | Italy |
| Rumi | Writer | 1207 | 1273 | Afghanistan |
| Genghis Khan | Military | 1162 | 1227 | Mongolia |
| Saladin | Politician | 1138 | 1193 | Iraq |
| Hildegard of Bingen | Religion | 1098 | 1179 | Germany |
| Omar Khayyam | Mathematician | 1048 | 1131 | Iran |
| Lady Godiva | Social Activist | 990 | 1076 | United Kingdom |
| Avicenna | Philosopher | 980 | 1037 | Uzbekistan |
| Erik the Red | Explorer | 950 | 1003 | Norway |
| Otto I | Politician | 912 | 973 | Germany |
| Al-Farabi | Philosopher | 872 | 951 | Kazakhstan |
| Harald Fairhair | Politician | 850 | 933 | Norway |
| Alfred the Great | Politician | 848 | 899 | United Kingdom |
| Charles the Bald | Politician | 823 | 877 | Germany |
| M. ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi | Mathematician | 780 | 850 | Turkmenistan |
| Charlemagne | Politician | 748 | 814 | Spain |
| Pepin the Short | Politician | 715 | 768 | Belgium |
| Charles Martel | Military | 688 | 741 | Belgium |
| Wu Zetian | Politician | 624 | 705 | China |
| Ali | Religion | 601 | 661 | Saudi Arabia |
| Umar | Politician | 585 | 644 | Saudi Arabia |
| Muhammad | Religion | 570 | 632 | Saudi Arabia |
| Pope Gregory I | Religion | 540 | 604 | Italy |
| Justinian I | Politician | 482 | 565 | Macedonia |
| Clovis I | Politician | 466 | 511 | Belgium |
| Odoacer | Politician | 433 | 493 | Hungary |
| Attila | Politician | 406 | 453 | Hungary |
| Augustine of Hippo | Philosopher | 354 | 430 | Algeria |
| Hypatia | Mathematician | 350 | 415 | Egypt |
| Athanasius of Alexandria | Philosopher | 298 | 373 | Egypt |
| Constantine the Great | Politician | 272 | 337 | Serbia |
| Diocletian | Politician | 244 | 311 | Croatia |
| Plotinus | Philosopher | 203 | 270 | Egypt |
| Zhuge Liang | Engineer | 181 | 234 | China |
| Liu Bei | Politician | 161 | 223 | China |
| Galen | Physician | 129 | 200 | Turkey |
| Marcus Aurelius | Politician | 121 | 180 | Italy |
| Ptolemy | Astronomer | 100 | 170 | Egypt |
| Hadrian | Politician | 76 | 138 | Spain |
| Trajan | Politician | 53 | 117 | Spain |
| John the Apostle | Religion | 6 | 100 | Israel |
| Saint Peter | Religion | -1 | 67 | Israel |
| Jesus | Religion | -4 | 33 | Israel |
| Mary, mother of Jesus | Religion | -25 | 25 | Israel |
| Augustus | Politician | -63 | 14 | Italy |
| Julius Caesar | Politician | -100 | -44 | Italy |
| Cicero | Politician | -106 | -43 | Italy |
| Spartacus | Military | -109 | -71 | Greece |
| Gaius Marius | Politician | -157 | -86 | Italy |
| Tiberius Gracchus | Politician | -163 | -133 | Italy |
| Cato the Elder | Writer | -234 | -149 | Italy |
| Hannibal | Politician | -247 | -183 | Tunisia |
| Qin Shi Huang | Politician | -259 | -210 | China |
| Archimedes | Mathematician | -287 | -212 | Italy |
| Euclid | Mathematician | -350 | -250 | Egypt |
| Alexander the Great | Military | -356 | -323 | Greece |
| Aristotle | Philosopher | -384 | -322 | Greece |
| Plato | Philosopher | -427 | -347 | Greece |
| Socrates | Philosopher | -470 | -399 | Greece |
| Herodotus | Historian | -484 | -425 | Turkey |
| Gautama Buddha | Philosopher | -566 | -452 | India |
| Confucius | Philosopher | -551 | -479 | China |
| Laozi | Philosopher | -575 | -475 | China |
| Pythagoras | Philosopher | -570 | -495 | Greece |
| Cyrus the Great | Politician | -600 | -530 | Iran |
| Thales of Miletus | Philosopher | -623 | -546 | Turkey |
| Emperor Jimmu | Politician | -700 | -585 | Japan |
| Numa Pompilius | Politician | -753 | -673 | Italy |
| Hesiod | Writer | -800 | -700 | Turkey |
| Homer | Writer | -800 | -700 | Turkey |
| Tiglath-Pileser III | Politician | -775 | -727 | Iraq |
| Dido | Politician | -839 | -759 | Tunisia |
| Shalmaneser III | Politician | -900 | -824 | Iraq |
| Ashurnasirpal II | Politician | -925 | -859 | Iraq |
| Adad-nirari II | Politician | -950 | -891 | Iraq |
| Solomon | Religion | -1011 | -931 | Israel |
| David | Politician | -1025 | -970 | Palestine |
| Saul | Religion | -1079 | -1010 | Palestine |
| King Wu of Zhou | Politician | -1100 | -1043 | China |
| Tiglath-Pileser I | Politician | -1150 | -1076 | Iraq |
| Nebuchadnezzar I | Politician | -1150 | -1104 | Iraq |
| Zoroaster | Religion | -1200 | -1100 | Afghanistan |
| Ramesses III | Nobleman | -1217 | -1155 | Egypt |
| Merneptah | Politician | -1225 | -1203 | Egypt |
| Ramesses II | Nobleman | -1303 | -1213 | Egypt |
| Seti I | Politician | -1323 | -1279 | Egypt |
| Moses | Religion | -1350 | -1275 | Egypt |
| Horemheb | Politician | -1350 | -1292 | Egypt |
| Tutankhamun | Politician | -1342 | -1325 | Egypt |
| Nefertiti | Companion | -1370 | -1330 | Egypt |
| Akhenaten | Politician | -1375 | -1336 | Egypt |
| Amenhotep III | Politician | -1403 | -1350 | Egypt |
| Amenhotep II | Politician | -1450 | -1397 | Egypt |
| Thutmose III | Politician | -1481 | -1425 | Egypt |
| Hatshepsut | Politician | -1525 | -1458 | Egypt |
| Thutmose I | Politician | -1550 | -1493 | Egypt |
| Ahmose I | Politician | -1575 | -1525 | Egypt |
| Mursili I | Politician | -1575 | -1525 | Turkey |
| Labarna I | Politician | -1600 | -1525 | Turkey |
| Yong Ji | Politician | -1600 | -1538 | China |
| Tai Geng | Politician | -1625 | -1567 | China |
| Tai Jia | Politician | -1675 | -1611 | China |
| Tang of Shang | Politician | -1700 | -1646 | China |
| Jie of Xia | Politician | -1728 | -1675 | China |
| Samsu-iluna | Politician | -1792 | -1712 | Iraq |
| Hammurabi | Politician | -1825 | -1750 | Iraq |
| Abraham | Religion | -1900 | -1800 | Iraq |
| Amenemhat III | Politician | -1875 | -1814 | Egypt |
| Senusret III | Politician | -1925 | -1838 | Egypt |
| Senusret II | Politician | -1950 | -1878 | Egypt |
| Senusret I | Politician | -2000 | -1919 | Egypt |
| Amenemhat I | Politician | -2025 | -1962 | Egypt |
| Mentuhotep III | Politician | -2050 | -1998 | Egypt |
| Mentuhotep II | Politician | -2075 | -2010 | Egypt |
| Qi of Xia | Politician | -2050 | -2017 | China |
| Yu the Great | Politician | -2123 | -2025 | China |
| Shulgi | Politician | -2125 | -2046 | Iraq |
| Ur-Nammu | Politician | -2150 | -2094 | Iraq |
| Utu-hengal | Politician | -2175 | -2125 | Iraq |
| Gudea | Politician | -2200 | -2125 | Iraq |
| Dudu of Akkad | Politician | -2225 | -2169 | Iraq |
| Pepi II Neferkare | Politician | -2284 | -2200 | Egypt |
| Naram-Sin of Akkad | Politician | -2275 | -2218 | Iraq |
| Sargon of Akkad | Politician | -2350 | -2270 | Iraq |
| Lugal-zage-si | Politician | -2325 | -2270 | Iraq |
| Emperor Yao | Politician | -2350 | -2250 | China |
| Teti | Politician | -2350 | -2290 | Egypt |
| Unas | Politician | -2375 | -2315 | Egypt |
| Djedkare Isesi | Politician | -2425 | -2350 | Egypt |
| Nyuserre Ini | Politician | -2450 | -2400 | Egypt |
| Neferirkare Kakai | Nobleman | -2483 | -2425 | Egypt |
| Sahure | Politician | -2500 | -2450 | Egypt |
| Userkaf | Politician | -2525 | -2475 | Egypt |
| Gilgamesh | Politician | -2500 | – | Iraq |
| Shepseskaf | Politician | -2550 | -2499 | Egypt |
| Menkaure | Politician | -2550 | -2510 | Egypt |
| Khafra | Politician | -2575 | -2530 | Egypt |
| Djedefre | Politician | -2600 | -2560 | Egypt |
| Khufu | Politician | -2625 | -2570 | Egypt |
| Sneferu | Politician | -2650 | -2580 | Egypt |
| Yellow Emporer | Politician | -2700 | -2600 | China |
| Huni | Politician | -2650 | -2600 | Egypt |
| Sanakht | Politician | -2675 | -2630 | Egypt |
| Imhotep | Architect | -2700 | -2650 | Egypt |
| Djoser | Politician | -2700 | -2650 | Egypt |
| Khasekhemwy | Politician | -2750 | -2686 | Egypt |
| Senedj | Politician | -2800 | -2750 | Egypt |
| Nynetjer | Politician | -2800 | -2750 | Egypt |
| Nebra | Politician | -2850 | -2800 | Egypt |
| Hotepsekhemwy | Politician | -2900 | -2850 | Egypt |
| Fuxi | Politician | -2900 | – | China |
| Qa’a | Politician | -2950 | -2880 | Egypt |
| Semerkhet | Politician | -2950 | -2910 | Egypt |
| Anedjib | Politician | -2950 | -2920 | Egypt |
| Den | Politician | -3000 | -2930 | Egypt |
| Merneith | Politician | -3000 | -2950 | Egypt |
| Djet | Politician | -3000 | -2980 | Egypt |
| Djer | Politician | -3050 | -3000 | Egypt |
| Neithhotep | Companion | -3100 | – | Egypt |
| Hor-Aha | Politician | -3100 | -3050 | Egypt |
| Narmer | Politician | -3150 | -3100 | Egypt |
| Menes | Politician | -3200 | -3100 | Egypt |
| Iry-Hor | Politician | -3200 | – | Egypt |
| Double Falcon | Politician | -3200 | – | Egypt |
| Crocodile | Politician | -3200 | – | Egypt |
| Scorpion II | Politician | -3200 | – | Egypt |
| Scorpion I | Politician | -3200 | – | Egypt |
| Ötzi | Celebrity | -3345 | -3300 | Italy |
| Mekh | Politician | -3500 | – | Egypt |
| Wazner | Politician | -3500 | – | Egypt |
| Neheb | Politician | -3500 | – | Egypt |
| Tiu | Politician | -3500 | – | Egypt |
| Khayu | Politician | -3500 | – | Egypt |
Irresistible / Immovable 