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Cyrus the Great was a Zoroastrian. Zoroastrians had a saying: good thoughts, good words, good deeds. Indeed.

Leonidas taught me to live, eat, sleep, fight and ultimately bleed alongside my men. Since my time, this practice has become rare.

Not only did I fight alongside my men, I rode ahead of my troops in combat and wore something that stood out so enemy troops could recognize me from the distance. My trademark two white plumes did the trick.

Cowardice never had a place in my time, especially if you sought the respect and unconditional loyalty of your men. I dare you to show me a leader who fights in your day or exposes himself to the enemy.

Ironically, I ruled an empire from abroad. The entire time I led the Greeks, I was waging a war. While I needed to exert diplomacy in my adventure, being a diplomat was out of the question. Even once I conquered Persia and India, the mere notion of becoming a mere administrator made me ill. I was a soldier, I was a warrior, I was a commander. I might have been diplomatic, but I was no diplomat. Certainly I was no administrator.

Away from the battleground, I possessed the one distinct characteristic that is not taught: charisma. Before the advent of mass media and instant communication, captivating the hearts and minds was essential but far more challenging. Before winning over the conquered, I would have to win over my own men.

To achieve this, I needed to win over the facts and convey them in the proper light. Artistotle’s nephew Callisthenes accompanied me in my sojourn to Persia. He was in charge of the positive recording and strategic dissemination of our cause; it worked brilliantly back home and abroad. I believe this is what you call propaganda today.

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