Julius Caesar

While Caesar may not have been as much of a buff badass as he is being depicted on Spartacus, as far as politicians go, Caesar had a career full of adventure and bravery.

Throughout his career, Caesar lived a hard life.  Before he became the Caesar we all know, he survived captivity by pirates, and later got revenge upon them.  Then, when he entered politics, he embarked on one of the most extensive military careers of any acting politician in history.  In less than twenty years, Caesar traveled to Gaul, Britain, Greece, Egypt, the Middle East, North Africa, and Spain and, along the way, won victories over such determined opponents as Vercingetorix, Pompey, Ptolemy XIII Theos, Pharnaces II, and Juba I, among others.

Caesar also got his hands dirty, or rather wet when the situation required.  He personally leaped into a boat to save his men in Alexandria, and also swam with one hand while holding books above water in his other, despite having his enemies loose arrows at him.  Earlier, in 80 B.C., Caesar reportedly was the first Roman to scale a siege ladder during a battle of Mytilene, and earned the right to wear a crown of oak leaves for his bravery.