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How Barbarian is your personality?

27th September 2016 Print

You have approached the enemy in the field and found their fortifications strong and their position unassailable. What do you do?

Answering tough questions like this was the challenge for some of history’s greatest barbarian leaders. From Attila the Hun to Boudica, the people who contributed to the downfall of the Roman Empire made fantastic leaders that left their mark on history. 

In modern life, what kind of aspects do you think help you achieve your goals? From cunning to bravery, leadership to strength – what parts of your personality are the most barbarian like? That’s the question posed by The History Channel’s interactive game, Become a Barbarian. The quiz sees you answering questions like the one at the start of the article, to determine what kind of barbarian you are. After, you receive your custom card with your barbarian name and personality score, and are able to face-off with some of the most fearsome barbarians of all time, as featured in The History Channel’s Barbarians Rising show. 

You might be a strength-based barbarian, like the mighty Spartacus who rebelled against Roman slavers and become one of the most inspiring leaders of all time. That might mean you’re the kind of person who prizes physicality to help you through tough situations.

Alternatively, you could score high in bravery – showing you’ve got the same strength of will that led Boudica, queen of the Iceni tribe, into battle against the superior forces of Rome, despite almost certain defeat. Boudica’s refusal to accept the injustice of the Roman Empire in Britain showed supreme bravery, and cemented her in history as an iconic British figure. 

You may also be more of a natural schemer, using guile and tactics to get yourself ahead in life. Cunning isn’t a dirty word – in fact some of the greatest barbarians in history used their plotting to win battles against Rome. Despite being renowned for his viciousness, Attila the Hun was a cunning foe who frequently outwitted and outmanoeuvred Rome’s best tacticians. 

But ultimately, if you’re more of a natural leader, you might score as highly as Emperor Augustus – the first Roman emperor who ushered in almost two centuries of relative peace thanks to his military mastery and diplomatic ability. If you’ve scored high in leadership, you’ll probably be the kind of person who isn’t afraid to take charge of a situation, who keeps a cool head in times of crisis and can see a clear direction through any event.

So – play the Become a Barbarian quiz and see how you compare to history’s fiercest barbarians. Watch their full stories on Barbarians Rising, the docudrama which is available to watch now.