Was Alex an epileptic?

[yiannis]

It seems that in some sites it's mentioned that ATG was epileptic. Is this documented? Are there any sources that indicate this? (Either directly or indirectly?)

[marcus]

I've seen this a few times now myself, Yiannis. I have absolutely no idea where this idea has come from, because to my knowledge there is no evidence, direct or indirect, that Alexander was epileptic.I suspect that it is one of those things that people started to attribute to Alexander in order to prove a theory - knowing that Julius Caesar was, for example. I think I've read the same thing about Napoleon, again with not a shred of evidence for it.All the bestMarcus

[sus]

My dad told me that epilepsy was known in early times as 'the disease of kings'.Perhaps this may explain why there's this story about Alex. Or perhaps Julius C. wanted to 'excuse' his epilepsy by stating that the great Alexander, etc. etc. etc. was an epileptic too. What a nut.
s

[Tre]

Actually there are some things in the histories one could pick out that might be used to make such a conclusion such as the convulsions in Tarsus, etc. but of course you would have to pick and choose and not take into consideration the vast preponderance of evidence that he was not. However, a later author mentioned that Arrhidaeus was afflicted with epilepsy, so there is some familial connection.As I've often said, I could make a case for Alexander being deaf in one ear based on historical and artistic facts, but that does not make it a proper conclusion. If you look for it and ignore evidence otherwise, you can find anything. Historians do this all the time to generate fodder for articles. :-)Regards,Tre

[marcus]

Tre,You do realise that you've just volunteered to write an article for the site on Alexander's deafness, don't you? :-)As you say, people will always be able to make a case, somehow, in order to generate an article. The most recent reference I saw to the Alexander epilepsy theory was in an article in The Times, which mentioned it in a small caption panel. It really infuriated me, because so many people will now spend their lives thinking he was epileptic. A small matter in the great scheme of things, and not enough to make me write a letter to the august paper... but irritating all the same!All the bestMarcus

[Tre]

Hello Marcus!You do realise that you've just volunteered to write an article for the site on Alexander's deafness, don't you? :-)Only if it were true. I am already in serious truble as I haven't yet sumbitted two articles I promised. However, they will be worth the wait. It's my only defense :-)The most recent reference I saw to the Alexander epilepsy theory was in an article in The Times, which mentioned it in a small caption panel. It really infuriated me, because so many people will now spend their lives thinking he was epileptic. A small matter in the great scheme of things, and not enough to make me write a letter to the august paper... but irritating all the same!The Times doesn't have an excuse for surfing the net for information! There are real libraries for a reason. Regards,Tre

[davej]

I wonder if the whole deaf thing is routed in the angle in which Alexander is always portraited. His head is always angle slightly.Just a thought. People draw all osrts of conclussions from less sound evidence then that.

[Tre]

Actually I don't know if anyone has ever made a case for him having hearing problems specifically, but no, it would not rest on the head tilt by itself, although there have been numerous medical articles on the head tilt with other theories as to why he held his head that way.

[ruthaki]

I don't think it was Alexander. But it was his half-brother Philip Arridaios. He had been either dropped on his head or poisoned as an infant and was mentally retarded and suffered from seizures as a result.

[ruthaki]

I think the tilted head was just a pose he got in the habit of using from his childhood. They did say he was always alert and curious. I don't know where some of these theories come from but most of them sound pretty far-fetched.

[marcus]

Hi Ruth,Interestingly enough, I read an article on Philip Aridaios (I think it was in AHB, by either E Carney or E Baynham - now, there's specifics for you!) which suggested that there was nothing intrinsically wrong with him. I can't really remember the details now, I'm afraid, but it's worth locating the article and having a read, because it was very convincing.All the bestMarcus

[marcus]

I know what you mean, Tre. I promised to write something on Seleucus months ago, and just haven't had a chance to do anything about it, yet. Let's see who posts an article first!And you're right about The Times. They really should know better. Still, I suppose we can't expect their subs to check absolutely everything.Anyway, I don't like to criticise The Times too much - I had my first letter published in it a few weeks ago and, having achieved that, I'll forgive them almost anything :-)All the bestMarcus

[yiannis]

It's my opinion as well that there aren't any scientific or historical evidence that suggest that Alexander was suffering from epilepsy. But somehow it has got through that he did and people are beginning to take this as a fact. Repetition has this effect on people!
Maybe this is based on the incident where Alexander after swimming in the ice-cold river water suffers cramps and shivers. Btw isn't this the way that Barbarosa died in Asia Minor? Has anyone read Umberto Eco's book "Baundolino"? It has a very nice conspiracy theory.
Ancient Greeks used to call epilepsy "Hercules sickness" but the reason for this name eludes me!Regards,
Yiannis

[marcus]

Hi Yiannis,I don't know if that was exactly what happened to Barbarossa. He certainly fell off his horse and died while crossing the River Saleph in Asia Minor (10 June, 1190, for the pedants amongst us), but if I recall correctly he died in the saddle and just fell into the river. Seems to me that it could have been a heart attack - he was about 67 at the time!All the bestMarcus

[yiannis]

You're possibly correct Marcus.
The swim in the river comes from Eco's book which is of course historical fiction.regards,
Yiannis