The Life of Alexander the Great

[Nicator]

Hello,
So often we get caught up in discussing the death of the great one, that we forget to pay attention to his life, and the lessons learned for all of us. To study his death, means to study his life, as so often he seemed on a fast track to an early death and a short life that it was destined almost from the beginning. Always in the forefront of the battle, and in the thick of the fighting. He must have loved it. Certainly, he led by example, and as his campaigns went on, his examples became evermore desperate to keep his men motivated. The accumlated effect of so many injuries and the long forced marches through inhospitable wilderness combined with the burden of leadership, attrition of his armies, and the unending string of victories must have shortened his life considerably. If he was assassinated, it surely came as no surprise to those who followed him on his great trek around Asia, as many of these lost loved ones along the way, and every soldier must have known a fellow soldier that didn't make it back home. Every general and close subordinate to high command must have felt his growing instability, and moreover, feared another life threatening march into yet another desert (Arabia). Then there were the families of those killed by the hand of Alexander, and/or by his command. After so many years out in the wild, his officers knew it was time to quit and get back to the business of life, but to Alexander his life seemed to depend on conquest and the continuation of hostilities...nothing else mattered, and here developed a strong motive in the hands of many. Was he assassinated, or was it sickness? He could have been poisoned slowly, over the course of weeks, and even months. If you were given the task of poisoning Alexander the Great, would you give it to him quick and obvious or cover your tracks and administer it slowly, a little bit at a time. Not enough for a lethal dose all at once, but instead a slow but sure accumulation of poison in his system, and then just let nature take over. There is no evidence for this, and I just mention it to make some fellow pothos members think...it is possible, and we have to consider the possible...later Nicator

[ruthaki]

This was thought-provoking. In writing my historical fiction novel "Shadow of the Lion" I have had to study the characters, get into their 'skins' in order to portray them as realistically as possible. Although Alexander dies on page one, his spirit is 'alive' throughout the book. I've carefully weighed the possible reasons for his death and of course was encouraged to go along with the 'death hastened by malice' theory by the professors I've interviewed. There is a good possibility this was the case. But of course nobody knows exactly. And, in writing 'historical fiction' I'm not writing a history text book. So that's the theory I'm going with, though it still remains ambiguous. I think the conspiracy theory regarding Aristotle and Antipater was just rumour, never proven and not likely true. There were others present in Babylon (including Kassandros) who were much more suspect.

[John]

How can you say Kassandros was much more suspect than Antipater? Didn't he come FROM Antipater in Macedonia to Alexander in Babylon? We know Alexander was trying to remove Antipater from power in Macedonia. So maybe Antipater gave Kassandros a gift for Alexander, which Kassandros gave to his brother Iolas (Alexander's cup-bearer) to give to Alexander.I don't think it was one person alone who assassinated Alexander. I see a conspiracy. Possibly with good ole' Aristotle in on it, too. After all, look what Alexander did to Aristotle's poor nephew Callisthenes, which must have set Aristotle's mind a-moving.John

[chris]

What an interesting piece. If it was a conspiracy, actioned over a period of time, the risks would have been incredibly high. Surely a conspiracy would lend itself to a "quick" solution, with plans for the succession and aftermath carefully considered and in place. Given the mess that came after his death, can we really believe a conspiracy was involved? No, I believe he died of natural causes, brought on by supernatural deeds.

[agesilaos]

I agree, conspiracy theories are good fun but ultimately poor history; plenty of people were harmed by Stalin and more feared that they might be harmed yet it is certain that the old dog died of a stroke and that the politburo was too timid to call a doctor in case it was a trap, yet there was still a myth that Beria smothered him. Great men cannot die naturally it spoils the story.Besides if Alexander was down on Antipater would he have retained Iollas as his cup-bearer? He was adept enough at conspiracy to see the folly of that. Those stories belong to the struggle between Olympias and Kassander. One must consider the possible but temper it with a good dose of the probable.

[ruthaki]

Wasn't Callisthenes accused of having encouraged the young pages to kill Alexander? I don't think Aristotle had anything to do with it. He was far away and though he may have disagreed with some of the things Alexander was doing, I can't see him lowering himself to conspire against him.

[Nicator]

Ruth,
The reason Aristotle is under some suspicion is having to do with the Greek blood feuds. If you were to kill a member of a greek family, they would have to kill you...being bound by honor to this. Would Aristotle have considered it lowering himself to this end? He was the only one in Callisthenes family that was close enough to get to Alexander. By close I don't mean geographically. As far as Antipater is concerned, he does not appear to have been in serious trouble with Alexander, only with Olympias. It seemed that Alexander was trying to put Antipater in an area which would solve the problem with Olympias. However, Antipater surely was sensitive to the fact that he was being forced out of his nice comfortable position as regent of Macedonia, and into a less prestigious position. I favor the conspiracy theory, but I do not look to the obvious for this. Alex made so many enemies, that picking a few obvious choices does us little good. The fact of the matter was that the army needed Alexander desperately while in the far corners of Asia, but when back in Babylon...he became expendable. Enemies within had unknown plans to rid themselves of him and friends were no longer able to protect him. Hephaistion was conveniently out of the way, and malice seems almost a certainty in his death. It is his untimely death which points a strong finger in the direction of conspiracy, and the timing of Alexander's own death in relation to Hephaistions seemed too much like a well planned affair to be coincidental. We must also remember that many back in Greece wanted to be rid of Alexander, and the opportunity for this was not available until Alex came back into striking distance. Here's a scenario pictured behind closed doors with certain top brass in the army..."when we get back to Babylon we will have our chance to be rid of Alexander. We will divide up his empire and use the army to control it. Till then we will just let Alex continue on and do the work for us..." Of course after Alex's death, the leaders of the conspiracy quickly clash with each other and their coalition breaks apart...
Think of it...later Nicator

[agesilaos]

Major problems with this theory being that even when Alexander was dead the news did not reach Greece for months; the division of the satrapies is not instant and follows a significant amount of dissension as to the succession, as I think someone else has said no sign of long term planning. Nor did Alexander live in the medically advanced age that we do, certes he had access to the best care then available which is how he survived his punctured lung but the steady toll of his wounds must have weakened his constitution; the Alexander of Babylon is not the vigourous Alexander of the Hellespont he is an invalid that will not rest, his death at an early for moderns but normal for ancients (commoners) is not so surprising as to require a conspiracy. He was both feared and adored by his officers and men there can be no possibility of a staff level plot, like Hiltler he fostered rivalry amongst his subordinates, carefully sub-dividing power and blurring the boundaries of authority, if Perdikkas was plotting Eumenes would betray him etc ad infinitum.Fools fall to conspiracies of the sort you suggest and Alexander was no fool when it came to conspiracy.

[barry]

He died ... What's the point to know more then that when you can't?

[clementina]

hi nick
are you so very sure of the poison / murder thing ? could alex not have just died ? naturally ?

[Nicator]

Hello Karl,The truth is that there are major problems with any theory on the death of Alexander. I don't see any more relevance to what you suggest than a full blown conspiracy. You have not addressed the closeness timewise of Hep's death, nor the dubiousness of it.A conspiracy does not always imply a well planned out affair after the fact. Only a well planned out murder before the fact.No argument concerning the average lifetime of a person living in ancient times, nor the lack of an advanced medical establishment. I would only point out that many people lived long lives in ancient Greece...Democritus of Abdera lived 109 years. Of course he was a philosopher, and not a life-shortened slave or soldier. I would add that the ancient herbologist capability was probably superior to that of moderns. Nor do I have any arguments with Alexander's physical constitution after so many years out in the field. He was not the same man, and the fact of his invalidity is not recorded in the ancient texts, but rather inferred from his wounds by modern scholars (of which I do not doubt). You have not addressed the fact that the army did not need Alexander after returning to Babylon. Nor the certain irritance of many subordinates regarding the difficult campaign now past them, and the impending campaign into yet another life threatening desert. later Nicator

[Nicator]

Clementina,The only thing I am sure of is that we aren't sure of anything when it concerns Alexander the Great.

[agesilaos]

Hephaistion died eight months before Alexander and no source imputes any cause other than illness and his own disregard for medical advice. Indeed had there been the slightest hint of foul-play Alexander would have turned the sands red with his retribution at the most he hanged one doctor and that story is on poor authority.Had the army not needed Alexander why did forty thousand queue up to file passed his sick bed? Why had they mutinied at Opis because they thought they were going to be dismissed if that was what they wanted? Opis by the way is further West than Babylon.I admit freely that nothing is concrete about history indeed epistomologists would say tht the only thing one can be certain of is ones own existence but that is not a helpful world view and I always like to kick these smuggers sharply inthe crutch, after all I dont exist to them so it cant hurt and they dont exist to me so I dont have to care, this is reductioin ad absurdam History is about the balance of probabilities; I just happen to think that the scales come down more on my side you may disagree that is what makes History interesting, but evidence is required History is a discipline after all. Who stood to gain? Motive Opportunity and there must be a third I can't think of.Interesting chat though Nicator, by the by my favourite successor was Lysimachos so it's not surprising we clash only this issue is no Korupedion. ciaou

[Nicator]

Karl,Hephaistion died. This in and of itself gives me cause for concern on this issue. We hear nothing of Hep being ill previously, which to me implies a healthy imposition, and causes me concern when 3 days before falling ill, he suddenly dies. Would Alex have exacted some kind of a purge had he found out that foul play was involved? I'm sure he would have done something, but even that's hard to say. Alexander may not have known what happened, and gave in to the notion that Hep died of sickness. Regardless, it is all just as you say...probabilities.
"Had the army not needed Alexander why did forty thousand queue up to file passed his sick bed? Why had they mutinied at Opis because they thought they were going to be dismissed if that was what they wanted? Opis by the way is further West than Babylon."Are we talking about emotional need, or save our skins-we are deep in hostile territory and surrounded on all sides be our enemies need? Another point...the army does appear to have loved Alexander, and if someone wanted him out of the was, it probably was not the army regulars. Also, the mutiny at Opis was for far different reasons than the mutiny after the battle on the river Hydaspes. Hey, if I can't be Alexander, then let me be the guy that inherited the largest part of the empire...besides, my real name is closer to Nicator than Alexander, so there it is. Now if I can just get my login corrected so I can use my screen name I'll be happy...later Nicator