Bucephalus

Alexander the Great’s horse Bucephalus is perhaps the most famous horse from Ancient Greece and Rome.

According to Plutarch, Philonicus of Thessaly brought the horse to Macedonia and tried to sell him to King Phillip II. The horse was wild and untameable, however, and the king refused to buy him. The young prince Alexander claimed that he could tame the horse where others failed and offered to buy it himself if he could not. He had seen that the horse was scared of his shadow and so, given the chance to tame him, he dropped his cloak and turned Bucephalus toward the sun. With his shadow out of view, Bucephalus allowed Alexander to ride him.

Alexander later rode Bucephalus through much of his great conquest. The horse reportedly died following the Battle of the Hydaspes in 326 BC.

Bucephalus is Greek for “Ox Head.” He is said to have been a black horse, possibly with a white star.