Death of Alexander the Great

The death of Alexander the Great happened long ago and has been talked about a lot. According to a record from ancient times called a Babylonian astronomical diary, Alexander passed away in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar II in a city called Babylon. This happened between the evening of 10 June and the evening of 11 June in the year 323 BC. He was only 32 years old.

When people in Macedonia and the local people heard about his death, they cried a lot. Some people from the Achaemenid empire were made to shave their heads in sadness. Even Sisygambis, the mother of a king named Darius III, became very sad after hearing the news and later passed away herself.

Historians have different ideas about what caused Alexander’s death because the old records they study don’t always agree. This means people still talk and wonder about what really happened to him.

Background

In February 323 BC, Alexander prepared his armies to travel to Babylon. After crossing the Tigris River, he met with Chaldeans, wise people who warned him not to enter Babylon at that time. They suggested he enter through a special gate to avoid bad luck, but the path was difficult because of swampy ground.

A wise man named Calanus, who had traveled with Alexander’s army, decided to end his own life because he was too weak to continue. Alexander tried to stop him, but Calanus insisted. He was honored with a special fire, and before it began, he told Alexander, “We shall meet in Babylon,” which many believed was a sign that Alexander would also pass away there.

Causes

Alexander fell ill and passed away on June 10, 323 BC at the age of 32 after 12–14 days of a feverish illness. Many ideas exist about what caused his death. Some suggest it was an infection, like malaria or typhoid fever, since these diseases were common in Babylon at the time. Others have considered poisoning, but there is little proof to support this.

Some believe Alexander may have had a sickness such as influenza or even a spinal problem. However, without examining his body, it is difficult to know the true cause of his death. His body is said to have started decomposing six days after he died.

Body preservation

Long ago, people wondered how to keep Alexander the Great's body safe for two years after he passed away. Some stories say his body was placed in a container of honey. Others tell us that special people from Egypt and Chaldea checked his body and said he still looked very lifelike. This was thought to be because of a sickness called typhoid fever, which can make someone seem almost asleep even before they pass away.

Tomb

Main article: Tomb of Alexander the Great

After Alexander the Great passed away, his body was taken toward Macedonia. One of his generals, Ptolemy I Soter, met the cart carrying the body in Syria. He moved the body to Egypt where it was first buried. Later, the body was moved to Alexandria. Important leaders visited the tomb over the years. Even many years later, some people claimed to have seen the tomb in Alexandria. There are stories that the tomb might be hidden under an old church.