I think there probably isn't a reliable way to answer those questions unless it is after the fact. The problem is that true geniuses usually aren't recognized

I think there probably isn't a reliable way to answer those questions unless it is after the fact. The problem is that true geniuses usually aren't recognized until after they are long gone, so you won't identify an excess until after the excess has disappeared. Most people who are hailed as geniuses in our own time (any famous startup founder) probably aren't on the level that the article was mentioning. They are smart businessmen, but I don't think they compete with the ancient Athenians.