Alexander’s rise began with the Macedonian base built by his father, Phillip II. With Macedonia and the conquered part of Greece behind him, at age 20, Alexander wanted glory and eternal fame. The future conqueror became King of Macedon after his father’s assassination in 336 BCE. He quickly eliminated any opponents (including family), put down rebellions, and prepared his armies. Once started, Alexander’s juggernaut encompassed large portions of today’s Middle East. By 323 BCE, his conquests reached into India. At the time of his death in Babylon, Alexander planned to invade Arabia next.
Sudden Symptom and a Lingering Death
While in Babylon, Alexander the Great died around June 11, 323 BCE. This was no sudden passing but a tortured twelve-day ordeal. According to accounts, Alexander spent the night before drinking. To all present, he seemed sharp and active, much like a healthy thirty-two-year-old man in his prime. The next day, Alexander had incredible back pain and a high fever. Over the following days, his condition grew worse, with abdominal pains and paralysis. Though his body failed, Alexander remained lucid until the end.
After Alexander’s death, his body didn’t decay for six days, despite the region’s summer humidity. Allegedly, embalmers refused to touch the body. This odd condition only added more mystery to his sudden demise.
The Poisoning Theories
Shocking though Alexander the Great’s death is, inevitably theories arose that someone poisoned him. Or did death come accidentally or naturally? With no body to examine, historians and scholars are left to make educated guesses. Was his death from bad luck, political event or something else? Some theories have gained prevalence over others.
The first, White Hellebore, is a plant-based poison. Full of alkaloids, or minute chemical compounds that can affect one’s body, this slow-acting poison causes abdominal pains, a slow heart rate, and paralysis. Eventually, the victim’s heart slows significantly and stops beating. With Alexander’s nearly two-week death, this theory checks many boxes. He suffered a neurological decline.
The other deadly theory is a poison called River Styx Poison. Aptly named after the fabled River Styx, this toxic substance found in limestone might have contained two poisons. The first, calicheamicin, decimates the victim’s DNA, causing cell death, organ failure, and more. Like White Hellebore, death takes days, eerily similar to Alexander’s end.
Possible Natural Causes
Though Alexander’s death may have been premeditated, natural causes cannot be ruled out. Many of his symptoms match the symptoms that both toxins could cause. But several viruses match these symptoms too. One suggestion is typhoid fever. Symptoms include a high fever plus GI distress. During his ordeal, sources report Alexander kept a high fever. Others noted that typhoid epidemics plagued Babylon around this time. And given Babylon’s tropical climate and water supply, a second theory arises: West Nile Virus. This, too, causes fever, paralysis, and a neural decline.
Again, given Alexander’s symptoms, Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) fits this mysterious puzzle. Alexander, paralyzed and fully conscious, remained alert despite not speaking or moving. Plus, his body’s delayed composition- possibly a deep coma. For explanation, GBS only occurs as an autoimmune response to sickness (fever, for example). The victim’s immune system attacks the body, starting with nerves first. A slow paralysis will follow, with the person being conscious.
A Diagnosis Challenge
Sadly, for modern-day readers, truly diagnosing what caused Alexander the Great’s death is extremely unlikely. There are no remains to examine. The conqueror’s corpse was mummified and entombed. That tomb disappeared into history, vanishing during the Roman era. Without remains, no forensic analysis can be done. While the above medical and natural theories sound good, they’re just that-speculation.
Mixing in the incomplete or contradictory sources only complicates the story. These sources are often second-hand, written down years after events, and not completely accurate. Some claim Alexander drank and then collapsed, while others describe a slow, horrid death.
Political Assassination?
The question of whether Alexander’s death was natural or an assassination can’t really be answered. His enemies and rivals abounded, each with their motivations. Possibilities range from his generals eager for their own kingdoms from Alexander’s empire to a conquered subject out for revenge. Like the above theories, there is no concrete information to support this claim.
Though not the first great conqueror, Alexander is legendary. His incredible rise to his unexplained death captivates even millennia later. Unfortunately, the question of whether someone was poisoned will remain an unanswered mystery.
