We Are the .001 Percent

ADAM LEFF

RICHARD RUSHFIELD

An essential guide to incomprehensible wealth across the ages

ERA Ancient Egypt

AVATAR Ramesses II

VOCATION Pharaoh.

AVOCATION Erecting temples dedicated to himself.

STREET CRED Led

one-million-person army.

BILLION-DOLLAR IDEA

Start propaganda department.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURE

Uraeus headdress, prehistoric soul patch, crown.

RESIDENCE Piramesse royal city.

FAVORED ARCHITECTURE

Sandstone human/animalhybrid spectacular.

LOOMING NEMESIS

The Nubians.

SKELETON IN THE CLOSET

Wore man makeup.

PET PEEVE Rivers turning to blood.

PREFERRED SNACK FOOD

The blue-lotus aphrodisiac. ^

HANGOUT Artificial bargerowing lake at Malkata.

PICKUP LINE

"Bring me to the daughter of Ptolemeus."

LITTLE BUDDY

Queen Nefertari.

ERA The Renaissance

AVATAR Cosimo de'Medici

VOCATION Banker and uncrowned monarch of Florence.

AVOCATION Giving Donatello his big break.

STREET CRED Impossible to assassinate.

BILLION-DOLLAR IDEA

Audit the Pope.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURE

Red chef's hat, puffy tunic, gherkin.

RESIDENCE Palazzo Medici Riccardi and a dozen or so country villas.

FAVORED ARCHITECTURE

Low-profile rusticated palazzo.

LOOMING NEMESIS

The Borgias.

SKELETON IN THE CLOSET

The first Mafia godfather of Italy.

PET PEEVE

Pumpkin slops (short breeches).

PREFERRED SNACK FOOD

A fat puller and a loin of mutton.

HANGOUT Papal apartment.

PICKUP LINE "Pius II was wondering if you would join us for a drink."

LITTLE BUDDY

Piero the Gouty.

ERA The Gilded Age

AVATAR Cornelius Vanderbilt

VOCATION Railroad man.

AVOCATION Building Grand Central Terminal.

STREET CRED Born and raised on Staten Island.

BILLION-DOLLAR IDEA

People want to get off of Staten Island.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURE

Top hat, monocle, prodigious muttonchops.

RESIDENCE Four-story town house on 10 Washington Place.

FAVORED ARCHITECTURE

Stately Gothic fortress with gargoyles.

LOOMING NEMESIS

Jay Gould.

SKELETON IN THE CLOSET

Married his cousin. PET PEEVE Muckrakers.

PREFERRED SNACK FOOD

Fancy cake and sweet pickles.

HANGOUT The smoking room.

PICKUP LINE

"Want to see a daguerreotype of me and Ruthie B. Hayes on New Year's Eve?"

LITTLE BUDDY

Thomas Edison.

ERA The New Gilded Age

AVATAR Mark Zuckerberg

VOCATION Employee 1.

AVOCATION Vegetarianism.

STREET CRED

Dropped out of Harvard.

BILLION-DOLLAR IDEA

Nerds need help getting the girl.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURE

Favicon-emblazoned hoodie, headset microphone.

RESIDENCE Fort Zuckerberg in Dolores Heights.

FAVORED ARCHITECTURE

Zoob Construction Set Modern.

LOOMING NEMESIS

The Winklevii.

SKELETON IN THE CLOSET

Mediocre coder. PET PEEVE Co-founders.

PREFERRED SNACK FOOD

Free whole-wheat fajita wrap from HQ food court.

HANGOUT Sand Hill Road Starbucks.

PICKUP LINE "I have the G.D.P. of Bolivia."

LITTLE BUDDY

Dustin Moskovitz.