MIT maps the modern day cultural significance of famous people
MIT used Wikipedia to map the 100 most culturally significant historical figures. The study used even instance of Wikipedia from all over the world in every language. So it is not just who is considered important to an American audience, but worldwide.
Six of the top ten are Greeks. The list also includes numerous other Greeks.
There are no sub-Saharan Africans on the list, and few Asians. While there are four listed as being from Turkey, none of them are ethnic Turks. Three are Greeks and one is the Apostle Paul, who was a Jewish Roman citizen. Two people listed as being from Egypt were part of the Greek Aristocracy during the Roman Empire.
At least 18 of the 100 are Greek. There are also 19 listed as being from Italy. This list spans from the Roman Empire to the Renaissance.
Aristotle is listed as number one.
Aristotle (Philosopher) was born in Stageira, Greece in 384 B.C..
He is featured in 152 different language editions of Wikipedia and has received 56,355,172 combined Pageviews since 2008.
Top Ten:
| 1 | Aristotle | Greece | -384 | Male | Philosopher | 152 | 11.9 | 56.36 M | 15.75 M | 40.61 M | 201.07 K | 31.994 |
| 2 | Plato | Greece | -427 | Male | Philosopher | 142 | 13.0 | 46.81 M | 13.50 M | 33.32 M | 141.93 K | 31.989 |
| 3 | Jesus Christ | Palestine | -4 | Male | Religious Figure | 214 | 12.1 | 60.30 M | 25.37 M | 34.93 M | 257.21 K | 31.898 |
| 4 | Socrates | Greece | -469 | Male | Philosopher | 137 | 12.3 | 40.31 M | 11.69 M | 28.62 M | 135.90 K | 31.652 |
| 5 | Alexander the Great | Greece | -356 | Male | Military Personnel | 138 | 11.2 | 48.36 M | 19.94 M | 28.42 M | 153.68 K | 31.584 |
| 6 | Leonardo da Vinci | Italy | 1452 | Male | Inventor | 174 | 13.2 | 88.93 M | 29.24 M | 59.69 M | 352.57 K | 31.464 |
| 7 | Confucius | China | -551 | Male | Philosopher | 192 | 13.1 | 22.36 M | 8.06 M | 14.30 M | 76.36 K | 31.371 |
| 8 | Julius Caesar | Italy | -100 | Male | Politician | 128 | 10.8 | 43.09 M | 18.32 M | 24.77 M | 157.21 K | 31.116 |
| 9 | Homer | Greece | -800 | Male | Writer | 141 | 12.7 | 20.84 M | 5.97 M | 14.87 M | 72.95 K | 31.109 |
| 10 | Pythagoras | Greece | -570 | Male | Philosopher | 114 | 12.8 | 26.17 M | 6.99 M | 19.18 M | 94.42 K | 31.069 |