Alexander the Great, son of King Philip II of Macedonia, undertook an extremely difficult journey. Alexander led his army through multiple victories across the Persian territories of Asia Minor, Syria, and Egypt without the agony of a single defeat. A notable battle of Alexander's was the Battle of Gaugamela in 331 BCE. The Battle of Gaugamela is important because it ended Darius' rule over Persia. [new par.] There are several forces and factors that contribute to making Alexander the Great superior as a leader. Alexander's achievements on the battlefield were the result of his prestigious education and upbringing. Privately mentored by Aristotle, an epic Greek philosopher and scientist, Alexander received training in philosophy, ethics, politics, and healing, all of which play a key role in the story of Alexander's later life. The upbringing and hardships that Alexander the Great faced early in his life helped prepare him for his role as a great general. Alexander, a great commander with impressive critical thinking and a prestigious education, it is no wonder he earned the title "Alexander the Great." Alexander encountered several growing pains and important school lessons throughout his early childhood. There was family dysfunction between Alexandre and his father, which created a feeling of non-acceptance for Alexandre. Alexander had a closer bond with his mother, Olympias, than with his father, King Philip. This missing link between his father and himself conveys the importance of Alexander being determined to be the best in everything that was thrown his way. If he could be great, maybe he would finally be accepted by his father. Alexander's parents experienced marriage problems themselves, which Alexander witnessed in middle of paper...... Bose, Partha S. The Art of Strategy of Alexander the Great. New York: Gotham Books. 2004. Dryden, John. “Alexander.” Classics Archives. http://classics.mit.edu/Plutarch/alexandr.html (accessed December 3, 2011). Heckel, Waldemar and Ryan Jones and Christa Hooks. Macedonian Warrior: Alexander's elite infantryman. Osprey: Oxford. 2006.KHOLOD, Maxim M. 2011. “PERSIAN POLITICAL PROPAGANDA IN THE WAR AGAINST ALEXANDER THE GREAT.” Iranica Antiqua 46, 149-160. Academic research completed, EBSCOhost (accessed November 19, 2011).L. Michael Whitby "Alexander 'the Great'" The Oxford Companion to Military History. Ed. Richard Holmes. Oxford University Press, 2001. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. (Accessed November 13, 2011).