Alexander the Great was one of the most successful military commanders in history, and was undefeated in battle. By the time of his death, he had conquered most of the world known to the ancient Greeks. There are a lot of surprising facts about Alexander, such as who he studied under.
Fact #1 - Tutored by Leonidas (possibly his uncle) and the great Greek philosopher Aristotle.
Leonidas was made famous in today’s pop culture by the film 300. Surely having mentors with the military skills of Leonidas and the mind of Aristotle helped contribute to Alexander’s success on the battlefield.
Fact #2 - During his youth, Alexander tamed the wild horse Bucephalus. Later, when his beloved horse died, Alexander renamed a city in India for Bucephalus.
Bucephalus was arguably the most famous horse of antiquity. Ancient accounts state Bucephalus died after the Battle of the Hydaspes in 326 BC in what is now modern Pakistan and is buried in Jalalpur Sharif outside of Jhelum, Pakistan.
Fact #3 - In 336 B.C. his father Philip was assassinated, and Alexander the Great became ruler of Macedonia.
Philip was assassinated in a crowded courtyard where he was celebrating the marriage of his daughter. His killer was actually one of his seven bodyguards. The reason behind the murder is still unclear to this day.
Fact #4 - Alexander Always carried the book the Iliad with him.
The Iliad was given to Alexander by his mentor Aristotle. Alexander kept it under his pillow every night.
