Back in ancient times, rulers were brought to the throne merely by inheritance, or just electing themselves, where they received no proper education as a child to rule a country. Alexander the Great was different from all the usual rulers. Unlike those rulers, Alexander was well-prepared when his time came to step up to the throne. His father, Philip II, gave Alexander a perfect example of a ruler to look up to. He laid out a foundation for Alexander’s later successes. Having the powerful Philip II as a father, he also had a lot to prove to his country of Macedon. Since they didn’t see eye to eye, Alexander strived to be a better leader than his father which sparked the ambitiousness inside of him. Alexander the Great deserves the title of best ruler because he was well prepared through his educational background and his miltary strategies and genius. …show more content…
While Alexander was a child, Philip hired multiple tutors to guarantee a well-rounded heir to his throne. He hired Leonidas of Epirus, a relative to Olympias, to teach Alexander how to fight, ride and endure hardships. Leonidas’ lessons for Alexander could have been the reason for his skill with horses because Alexander was able to tame Bucephalus the horse who was seen as the untamable when he was only 12 years old. Leonidas of Epirus taught Alexander the physical needs for leader, but he needed someone to teach him the mental needs. Philip then hired Lysimachus of Acarnania to teach Alexander the basic reading, writing, and to play the lyre. He introduced Alexander to Greek culture, especially with the works of Homer. After reading Homer’s poems, Alexander strived to be like the hero Achilles and was soon fascinated with him. Lysimachus’ influence inspired Alexander’s love for reading and music that would stay with him