Psychic Detective
Each month, ex-cop and psychic Nicky Alan teams up with her spirit guides to investigate an unsolved mystery. Here she delves into the death of Alexander the Great...
The embalmers who came to prepare Alexander the Great’s body for burial are said to have been shocked. It was a few days since the legendary commander had been declared dead, in the scorching heat of that Middle Eastern Summer in June 323 BC, yet his body appeared ‘fresh’.
For some this confirmed what they, and Alexander himself, had long believed: that the handsome and charismatic young king was no mere mortal, but Divine...
Alexander’s Mum, Olympias reckoned he’d been conceived when a lightning bolt struck her womb as she lay in bed, making him the son of the thunder god, Zeus, god of all the other Greek gods.
Alexander had become king aged just 20, after his dad, Philip II of Macedon, was murdered by his bodyguard.
Before his death Philip had already turned the Macedonian army into a force to be reckoned with. Now Alexander used this elite fighting machine to begin conquering the world.
At 23 he freed Egypt from Persian rule and the grateful population declared him a descendant of Amun, yet another deity, confirming his belief that he was immortal.
But along with his successes came assassination plots and paranoia – plus an apparent struggle with alcohol.
At 25 Alexander’s boozing buddies encouraged him to burn down a whole city, Persepolis, something he’s said to have regretted once sober. Two years later a drunken row led to him killing a friend, Cleitus, who’d once saved Alexander’s life in battle. Again, Alexander was said to be filled with remorse.
In just a decade on the throne Alexander built a vast empire stretching from Greece to India. But by then his troops were homesick and for the first time they refused to march on.
Turning back from India, Alexander made a disastrous attempt to cross the Gedrosian desert and countless lives were lost.
Alexander was seeming less and less in control.
Some felt he was giving too much weight to advice from astronomers and spiritual advisers – like the Indian monk, Calanus, who he’d brought back from India and who some believed was an enemy plant.
Alexander caused further anger when he began dismissing loyal Macedonian soldiers and replacing them with Persian fighters.
That same year Alexander was devastated when his best friend Hephaestion died suddenly.
Then Calanus the monk, by then 73 and in poor health, announced he would die by setting himself on fire, which he promptly did.
Before his death Calanus’ cryptic last words to Alexander were, ‘See you in Babylon’. What did the old man mean? Just a few months later Alexander did find himself on his way to Babylon, which he intended to make his capital, but he was stopped by an astronomer who warned him he was in mortal danger and should avoid the city.
Alexander took the warning seriously, but in the end he journeyed on, albeit by a different route than the one he’d planned.
In Babylon Alexander spent a night drinking with childhood friend and mentor, Nearchus, who was to be admiral of Alexander’s naval fleet. Alexander then continued drinking at a banquet thrown by one of his more prominent courtiers, Medius of Larissa.
He’s said to have fallen ill just after downing a bowl of wine. He developed a fever and complained of a pain in his back, which apparently felt like he’d been stabbed. He had a
He fell ill after downing some wine
terrible thirst too. Finally, a creeping paralysis spread through his whole body, leaving him unable to move – or speak.
After around 10 days Alexander was declared dead.
He left behind an illegitimate son and one unborn baby and, with no clear plan of succession, his hard-won empire was divided among his generals.
In the years since his death numerous historians have come up with theories about the cause of Alexander’s death. Was he poisoned? Historians have pointed the finger at his friend (and possibly halfbrother) Ptolemy, Iollas the ‘royal cup bearer’ (whose dad,
Antipater, had been left in charge of Macedonia when Alexander was away fighting), one of Alexander’s own wives, and even his former teacher, Greek philosopher, Aristotle!
In 2014 one toxicologist concluded that Alexander’s symptoms suggested poisoning from Veratrum album, a plant in the lily family. Plus, some scholars have suggested the death of Hephaestion, may have been murder, as he’d have been a likely successor to Alexander.
There are other theories about Alexander too. Back in 2011 newspaper headlines around the world asked: ‘Was Alexander the Great an alcoholic?’ as a new study suggested he’d been driven to drink by a desire to prove himself and uncertainty over his identity. Could alcohol have been responsible for his downfall?
And what of disease? Guillain Barre Syndrome (a rare but serious autoimmune disorder) Malaria and Typhoid are other suggested causes for his death.
Alexander remained undefeated on the battlefield when he died, aged just 32. Almost 2400 years after his death, can my guides help me find out what – or who – brought down this great warrior?
Theory 1
As soon as I started to meditate on Alexander, I could feel the fear and paranoia that he carried with him. This concern wasn’t misplaced. He really did have enemies everywhere. Was he poisoned to make room for another on the throne and, if so, by who? Plotting a king’s murder was a dangerous game...
Theory 2
There’s no doubt in my mind that Alexander was indeed an alcoholic. I’m sensing that his kidneys were failing at the time of his death and his immune system was compromised. But did the demon drink actually finish him off?
Theory 3
Over the years numerous medical conditions have been suggested, which might match Alexander’s reported symptoms at the end of his life. But which illness could it have been?