The horse was originally presented to Philip II, Alexander's father. It was a massive black horse, nearly twice the size of the average Macedonian horse, and it nearly cost 13 times as much as a normal horse. Although the was a very impressive horse, it was sent away for unruliness. While this occurred, Alexander watched this happen. He stood up in the audience, calling the people spineless for sending away such a fine beast. Alexander then approached the horse from the crowd. He then realized something that the others had not, the horse was afraid of its own shadow. Once he realized this he turned the horse to the sun so its shadow could not be seen, and he road the horse without difficulty.
From that point on the horse and Alexander were inseparable. Only alexander could ride this horse. Alexander rode this horse on all of his conquests and in all of his battles from the Grecian city-states to India. Then later, while Alexander was out on a conquest, the horse was stolen. Due to their bond Alexander threatened to fell every tree, lay waste to the countryside, and kill every inhabitant until his horse was found. The horse was then returned soon after with a plea for mercy. Historians are unsure of the real cause of this horse's death, but some believe that it was due to battle wounds, while others believe it was from old age after the battle of Hydapses River. In mourning for his beloved horse, Alexander founded a city and named it after his horse.
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