Bucephalus was one of the first war horses ever know. Legend has it that while Bucephalus was young, there was only one person who could approach the horse, let alone ride him. That man was the son of Philip II, Alexander the Great. According to the story, Alexander and his father were visiting a horse dealer and Alexander bet his father that he could tame the horse (who was showing wild displays of attitude during their meeting). If he couldn’t, Alexander promised he would pay for the horse himself. Other stories claim that the horse was bred specifically for Alexander the Great, and one mythological claim is that they were both born on the same day. Alexander eventually tamed the horse and he accompanied the great warrior in various battles. There is a multitude of artwork and literature that depicts them in battle together. Alexander even titled a city Bucephala (now in modern-day Pakistan) in the horse’s honor. The Persians tried kidnapping Bucephalus once, but after Alexander threatened to destroy all of Persia and its inhabitants, the Persians quickly realized that they had made a mistake and returned the horse.