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Does anyone know the origin of this story, found
which starts the article "Hunting Alexander's
Tomb" by Robert S. Bianchi, Archaeology
Magazine (July/August 1993)?
"Alexander the Great, dying at Babylon on the
banks of the Euphrates River in June of 323
B.C., was explicit in his last wish. He wanted his
body thrown into the river so that his corpse
would disappear. In that way, Alexander
reasoned, his survivors might perpetuate the
myth that he was whisked off to heaven in order
to spend eternity at the side of the god Ammon,
who had allegedly fathered him."

It can be found in Arrian's description of Alexander's final days.Jona

It's from Arrian, chapter 7, v 28"One writer has not even been ashamed to record that when Alexander perceived he was unlikely to survive, he was going out to throw himself into the river Euphrates, so that he might disappear from men's sight, and leave among the men of aftertimes a more firmly-rooted opinion that he owed his birth to a god, and had departed to the gods. But as he was going out he did not escape the notice of his wife Roxana, who restrained him from carrying out his design. Whereupon he uttered lamentations, saying that she envied him the complete glory of being thought the offspring of the god. "I don't know who the original source was, though.Susan

Right you are, a legomena. Mea maxima culpa!

susan, thanks for the qoute. it was really quite enlightening and i appreciate it as i don't have the book in question and would have wondered what the quote was. well done,and greatly appreciated tina rollsrite

Hi Susan,Welcome back!If I recall correctly the story is also in the Alexander Romance - although it was clearly a more widely put-about story if Arrian mentions it, too.All the bestMarcus