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10 Facts About Alexander the Great’s Death

Even by the norms of his day, Alexander the Great lived a short life. Even though he had already conquered and pieced together much of the civilization by the time he unexpectedly passed away at age 32, the former king of Macedonia had already made his mark on it.

Alexander was one of the world’s finest generals, but beyond that, the legend surrounding the man is portrayed in films by actors like Richard Burton and Collin Farrell. But, the truth offers a much more complex understanding of what made Alexander so outstanding. However, it is said that he died prematurely and there are many theories surrounding his death, let’s take a look at the 10 facts about Alexander the Great’s death.

1. Alexander died just short of his 33 birthday on June 10, 323 B.C

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On June 10, 323 BC, Alexander passed away just before turning 33. His death is unclear in terms of cause. Apparently, he drank a lot of wine during a banquet before passing out from a fever, according to some reports.

Other reports claim that he fell ill on his trip home from India, possibly with malaria. Most scholars agree that was a significant contributing factor in his death. Alexander’s death was prophesied by a fakir who had been brought to Susa from India.

2. 12 days before he died he became very sick

Alexander entered Babylon in the early years of 323 B.C. to prepare for an expedition to Arabia. He suffered from stomach issues at a feast and had to leave to go to his room. Afterwards, he developed a fever and became so sick that he was unable to speak or move. He passed away, twelve days later.

3. There’s an assumption that he died from alcoholism 

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Various theories have been put forth regarding Alexander’s cause of death, including pancreatitis, alcoholism that was made worse by a broken heart caused by the loss of his lover, Hephaestion, war wounds, a perforated ulcer, leprosy, syphilis, typhoid, panic, West Nile virus, an infected monkey bite, or even poisoning.

One scholar said that the rumour that his body didn’t start to decompose until a few days after his 33rd birthday could be explained by a ruptured colon, which can cause paralysis and make one appear dead before they actually pass away.

4. He was very particular about the kind of person who would rule after him

Can you imagine the person who had to fill Alexander’s shoes? it must have been a lot of pressure for him because it is said that when Alexander was asked whom he wanted to leave his empire to he said “the strongest”. It’s clear that from this statement he valued physical strength and military prowess, he basically implied that the strongest and most powerful person should inherit his empire. Of course, after he said this, much of the empire was focused on getting the best person for the job (no pressure at all, right?)

5. He had no clear succession plan

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Even though Alexander had said that his empire should be left to the strongest, this was quite ambiguous so after he passed away there was a succession crisis among Alexander’s generals and commanders. Everyone wondered who would be in charge because there was no one in particular who had been chosen.

This outburst that happened is called the Wars of the Diadochi, this period was filled with strife, alliances and betrayals as Alexander’s leading generals competed for control over territory and power. At the time, many regions and factions were contested and divided because they lacked a strong central authority. 

 6. The exact location of his tomb remains a mystery

When Alexander died his body is said to have been buried at Alexandria, Egypt even though there were efforts to bring his remains to Macedon, due to political unrest his body was agreed to be buried in Egypt. However, as much as it is said that he was buried in Egypt no one knows his tomb’s exact location which is something that has remained a mystery and has fascinated historians and archaeologists for centuries.

7. He was planning a military campaign against the Arabian Peninsula 

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Alexander the Great was planning a military campaign against the Arabian Peninsula before he passed away. His plan was to continue expanding his empire and spread his power across the Arabian peninsula, he was quite an ambitious man and his appetite was unquenchable, we can’t forget that he had already seized a lot of lands from the borders of India.

His plans were not implemented after his death which is something historians have continually questioned and wondered what it would have been like if he managed to implement his conquest.

8. Alexander had planned to marry for the sake of forming alliances

Marriage in the past was very strategic, leaders especially didn’t just marry for love but they often thought about what political gain they could have. Alexander’s plan was to marry a Persian or any other noble lady to help solidify his kingdom and promote solidarity and unity.

In addition to becoming political allies, they would also be able to overcome the cultural divides between the Greek and Persian societies. Eventually, he married a Persian princess in 327 BCE which was an advantageous marriage for both of them, it also helped that Alexander was fond of Iranian traditions.

9. The Hellenistic period started after Alexander’s death

After Alexander the Great’s passing, the Hellenistic era started. The Greek language, culture, and ideals were widely adopted during this time period, which lasted from 323 BCE to 31 BCE, over all lands that Alexander had conquered.

After Alexander’s death, his large empire was split among his generals, giving rise to various Hellenistic kingdoms, including Ptolemaic Egypt, Seleucid Asia, and Antigonid Macedonia. Throughout this fascinating time in history, these kingdoms served as hubs of cultural interaction, fusing Greek traditions with local practices to have a fusion of civilizations.

10. Him being buried in Egypt was for political reasons

Politics had a significant role in the choice to bury Alexander the Great in Egypt. After Alexander’s death, his generals split up his kingdom, and Ptolemy, one of his trusted generals, took control of Egypt.

Ptolemy saw the burial of Alexander in Egypt as a chance to establish the legitimacy of his own authority and his status as the great conqueror’s legitimate heir. Ptolemy planned to forge a symbolic relationship with the revered Macedonian king by interring Alexander in Egypt. This would raise his own political standing and increase his power over the Egyptian populace.