Alexander the Great

Alexander the Great

Alexander the Great died about a month short of his thirty-third birthday. The exact cause of death remains a mystery. He was a strong man with an athletic build and said to be an Olympic quality runner. Many believe that he was a victim of poisoning. After he drank the tampered cup of wine, he began to gasp and expire soon after. The most probable cause of death is that he contracted malaria while in Babylon or suffered and finally succumbed to the complications of the flu virus. Due to the enormous decline of his popularity prior to his death, many were either relieved or unaffected by it. They no longer had to practice the common religion of which Alexander was god nor did they have to be forced to partake in intermarriages. Despite this downfall he still had many soldiers who respected, loved, and worshiped him. They remained outside his tent until his death.

After the death of Alexander, his half brother, Philip III Arrhidaeus, became king of Macedonia. Alexander died during the time Roxanne was pregnant with his son, Alexander IV. He later ruled with Philip over the Macedonians. Philip was murdered in 317 B.C. and the young Alexander was killed seven years later. After, Alexander’s leading generals became governors of various areas and fought among themselves for control of the empire. Antigonus, Ptolemy, and Seleucus led the three most dominant states. Perdikkas, who was another general wanted to take the body of Alexander to Macedonia for burial, but Ptolemy snatched it and took it to Egypt claiming that Alexander wanted to be buried at Siwa. This was the beginning of the conflict between the successors. Perdikkas attempted to recapture Alexander’s body, but his troops mutinied and Perdikkas was murdered by his generals. Later the body of Alexander was transported to its final destination, Alexandria. In 89 B.C. Ptolemy needed money so he used Alexander’s sarcophagus to melt down and make gold coins. The people were so enraged that he would do such a thing to a legend. Ptolemy was killed soon after. Alexander the Great’s empire soon split and crumbled. No one succeeded in ruling the vast empire of Alexander.

Alexander the Great was a very intelligent and educated man. He was a military genius and was well versed in politics. He expanded the Greek culture far into Central Asia. His financial policy was an economic success to say the least.