- Lucius Cornelius Sulla (138 B.C. to 78 B.C.) and one-time General of Rome.
Popularized by Gen. James Mattis, USMC, in the form of "No better friend, no worse enemy" in 2003 before the U.S. invasion of Iraq.
Sulla is somewhat well-known as a "dictator" in the sense that he held absolute power at time over Rome but during his reign was a reformist who sought to restore balance of powers in government.
What is less known is that he resigned his near-absolute powers and restored constitutional government in late 81 BC. He was then elected to a second term of consul and retired from politics before he died.