Meng Tian

AncientGeneralChina-250 — -210

Qin general who built the Great Wall and defended the northern frontier.

Compare Meng Tian with another historical figure:

Quick Facts

Born

250 BCE

Died

210 BCE

Country

China

Era

Ancient

Occupation

General

Score Overview

Military (10%)60

Political (20%)31

Influence (20%)61

Legacy (20%)54

Leadership (15%)51

Strategy (15%)69

Total Score53.9

Meng Tian — Complete Timeline

215 BC

Defeat of the XiongnuWar◆ Major

Meng Tian led a Qin army to defeat the Xiongnu, driving them out of the Ordos region. This victory secured the northern frontier and allowed for the expansion of Qin territory.

WarXiongnuQin Dynasty

Impact: regionalconstructive

214 BC

Construction of the Great WallOther◆ Major

Meng Tian oversaw the construction and reinforcement of the Great Wall of China, connecting and extending existing walls to defend against northern nomadic tribes. This project involved hundreds of thousands of laborers.

Great WallDefenseQin Dynasty

Impact: globalconstructive

212 BC

Construction of the Straight RoadOther

Meng Tian supervised the construction of the Straight Road, a 700-kilometer highway connecting the Qin capital Xianyang with the northern frontier. This road facilitated military movement and communication.

InfrastructureQin DynastyRoad

Impact: nationalconstructive

210 BC

Forced Suicide by Qin Er ShiPolitical Action◆ Major

After the death of Qin Shi Huang, the eunuch Zhao Gao conspired to have Meng Tian forced to commit suicide. Meng Tian complied, despite his loyalty to the Qin dynasty. His death weakened the dynasty's northern defenses.

SuicideQin DynastyPolitical Purge

Impact: nationaltragic