Born on This Day: July 13

Roman general and statesman whose conquests and dictatorship transformed the republic and shaped the rise of the Roman Empire.

English mathematician, navigator, and scholar whose work influenced science, exploration, and Renaissance intellectual culture.

English architect whose Gothic Revival buildings transformed churches, institutions, and public architecture.

Russian writer whose compressed, vivid stories became major works of modern literature.

Nigerian playwright and essayist whose work and activism have influenced African literature and human-rights movements.

English actor whose Shakespearean work and science-fiction roles have influenced stage and screen performance.

American actor whose roles became defining figures in modern adventure and science-fiction cinema.

Hungarian architect and inventor whose Rubik’s Cube became one of the world’s most influential puzzles and educational objects.