One of the reasons why Alexander was such a great leader starts early, his father, Philip II, was a great cornerstone for a leader to be formed. At age 12, Alexander showed impressive courage when he tamed the wild horse Bucephalus, an enormous stallion with a furious demeanor. The horse became his battle companion for most of Alexander’s life. When Alexander was 13, Philip called on the great philosopher Aristotle to tutor his son. Aristotle sparked and fostered Alexander’s interest in literature, science, medicine and philosophy.
Alexander was just 16 when Philip went to battle the Byzantines and left him in charge of Macedonia. In 338 B.C., Alexander saw the opportunity to prove his military worth and led a …show more content…
Just 20 years old, Alexander claimed the Macedonian throne and killed his rivals before they could challenge his sovereignty. He also quashed rebellions for independence in northern Greece. Once he’d cleaned up, Alexander left to follow in his father’s footsteps and continue Macedonia’s world domination. Alexander appointed the general Antipater as regent and headed for Persia with his army. They crossed the Hellespont, a narrow strait between the Aegean Sea and the Sea of Marmara, and faced Persian and Greek forces at the Granicus river; victory went to Alexander and the