True enough. I guess handing supreme command out by accident of birth is even less rational than giving it to the winner of corrupt elections.
There were other supremely talented ancient military leaders, obviously, such as Hannibal, Africanus and Caesar, but their rise to command was in all cases at least as much the result of political factors as of military effectiveness.
OTOH, military talent was also a fast track to political success.
True enough. We also have to keep in mind when deciding "Chicken or Egg" was the extent to which the King/Emperor was exaggerating his own military prowess after-the-fact. Perhaps claiming credit for what others had done?