The death of Alexander the Great: cause, version, place and year. The Empire of Alexander the Great after his death

According to ancient documents, the death of Alexander the Great began on June 10, 323 BC. E. The greatest commander was only 32 years old. Until now, historians can not figure out the reason for his departure from life. The sudden death of Alexander the Great, who did not determine his heir, led to the collapse of his empire and the creation of several states, led by military commanders and close associates of the great king.

Return to Babylon

In 323 BC. E. The Hellenic army was returning to the west. Alexander the Great finished his expedition to the east, reaching India. He managed to create a huge empire stretching from the Balkans to Iran and from Central Asia to Egypt. In the history of mankind there were no such huge states, which appeared literally overnight by the will of one commander.

The death of Alexander of Macedon overtook in Babylon. It was a huge oasis with a multitude of canals taking water from the Euphrates. The city often suffered from diseases and epidemics. Perhaps, it was here that the King of Kings picked up the infection.

The funeral of Hephaestion

In the last year of his life, Alexander became jaded and suspicious. His mourning was caused by the death of his best friend and the approximate commander of Hephaestion. All May took place in the hassle of organizing funerals. Hephaestion was built a huge ziggurat, which was decorated with numerous trophies received during the campaign in the east.

The tsar ordered the dispatch to all the ends of the empire of a decree that his friend should be honored as a hero (in fact, it was a status of half-life). Being an extremely religious and superstitious man, Alexander attached great importance to such things. Among other things, he surrounded himself with numerous prophets and oracles.

Journey through the Euphrates

Babylon annoyed Alexander. He briefly left the noisy city to survey the banks of the Euphrates and neighboring swamps. The king was going to organize a sea expedition around the Arabian Peninsula. He explored the banks of the river, trying to figure out how to place 1200 ships close to Babylon, which were soon to be set off.

During this voyage the wind tore off his head a red hat with a gilded ribbon, which he wore as a tiara. The prophets, to whom the monarch listened, decided that this case is a bad omen, which does not bode well. When the death of Alexander of Macedon was a fait accompli, many of the associates remembered that incident on one of the canals of the Euphrates.

Onset

In late May, the king returned to Babylon. He stopped his mourning for the death of a friend and began to feast with his companions. Festive sacrifices were offered to the gods, and the army began to distribute long-awaited gifts - a lot of wine and meat. In Babylon, the success of the Neharkha expedition in the Persian Gulf was noted . The Tsar was also eager to go on his next campaign.

In the first days of June, Alexander had a strong fever. He tried to get rid of the disease, taking baths and making generous sacrifices to the gods. Rumors about the king's illness seeped into the city. When, on June 8, a crowd of excited Macedonians burst into the residence of their ruler, the king greeted his supporters, but his whole appearance spoke of the monarch being held in public by force.

The death of Alexander

The next day, June 9, Alexander fell into a coma, and on the 10th day the doctors ascertained his death. For many centuries, historians of different generations offered a variety of theories about what was the reason for the departure from life of a young military leader, always distinguished for strong health. In modern science, the point of view that the cause of Alexander the Great's death is far from mysticism is most common.

Most likely, the king picked up malaria. She significantly weakened the body, and he could not cope with pneumonia (in another version - leukemia). Discussion about the second fatal disease continues to this day. According to a less common theory, the cause of Alexander the Great's death was the West Nile fever.

Versions of poisoning

Important is the fact that none of the king's companions died of an infectious disease. Perhaps the monarch spoiled his health with regular drinking. During the last holiday, he did not stop feasts for a single day, where alcohol was consumed in huge quantities.

Modern researchers drew attention to the symptoms that accompanied the illness of the commander. He suffered from convulsions, frequent vomiting, muscle weakness and a confused pulse. All this indicates poisoning. Therefore, the versions of the death of Alexander the Great include the theory of the incorrect treatment of the monarch.

Doctors could give him a white hellebore or a hellebore to ease his first ailment, and in the end only aggravated the situation. Even in Antiquity was popular version of the poisoning of Alexander by his commander Antipater, who was threatened with the removal from the post of governor in Macedonia.

The Tomb of the King

323 BC. E. (The year of Alexander the Great's death) became a mourning for the whole vast empire. While ordinary citizens grieved over the untimely deceased monarch, his entourage decided what to do with the body of the deceased. It was decided to embalm.

Eventually the body was taken over by Ptolemy, who began to rule in Egypt. Mummy was transported to Memphis, and then to Alexandria - a city founded and named after the great commander. Many years later, Egypt was conquered by the Romans. The emperors considered Alexander the greatest example to follow. The rulers of Rome often made pilgrimages to the tomb of the king. The last reliable information about it refers to the beginning of the III century, when this place was visited by the Emperor Caracalla, who placed his ring and tunic on the tomb. Since then, the track of the mummy is lost. Today, nothing is known about her fate.

Regency of Perdiccas

Controversy remains information about the latest orders of the king, made before he finally fell into a coma. The empire of Alexander the Great after his death was to receive an heir. The monarch understood this and, feeling his approaching end, could appoint a successor. In Antiquity, the legend was spread that the weakening ruler handed over his ring with the seal of Perdiccas, the faithful military commander, who was to become regent under Queen Roxane, who was in her last month of pregnancy.

A few weeks after Alexander's death, she gave birth to a son (also Alexander). Regency Perdikki from the very beginning was characterized by instability. After the death of Alexander the Great, the power of the successor was challenged by other close relatives of the deceased tsar. In historiography, they remained known as diadochs. Almost all the governors in the provinces declared their independence and created their own satrapy.

Diadochi

In 321 BC. E. Perdiccas, during a campaign in Egypt, perished at the hands of his own generals, dissatisfied with his despotism. After the death of Alexander the Great, his power finally plunged into the abyss of civil wars, where every contender for power fought with all. The bloodshed lasted twenty years. These conflicts went down in history as wars of diadochs.

Gradually commanders got rid of all relatives and relatives of Alexander. The brother of King Arridei, sister Cleopatra, the mother of the Olympiad, was killed. The son (formally named Alexander IV) lost his life at the age of 14, in 309 BC. E. The great monarch had another child. The illegitimate son of Hercules, born of the concubine of Barsina, was killed simultaneously with his half-brother.

Empire Section

Babylon (the place of death of Alexander of Macedon) quickly lost its power over the provinces. After the death of Perdiccas, the diadochi Antigonus and Seleucus began to play an important role on the wreckage of a single empire. At first they were allies. In 316 BC. E. Antigonus came to Babylon and demanded from Seleucus information about the financial costs of the war against the neighbors. The latter, fearing disgrace, fled to Egypt, where he took refuge with the local ruler of Ptolemy.

The death of Alexander of Macedon, briefly, has long been in the past, and his supporters continued to fight against each other. By 311 BC. E. The following balance of forces has developed. Antigonus ruled in Asia, Ptolemy in Egypt, Cassander in Hellas, Seleucus in Persia.

The Last War of the Diadochi

The last, the fourth war of the diadochs (308-301 BC) began because Cassander and Ptolemy decided to unite in an alliance against Antigonus. They were joined by the king of Macedonia, Lysimachus, and the founder of the Seleucid Empire, Seleucus.

The first Antigonus attacked Ptolemy. He captured the Cyclades, Sicyon and Corinth. To do this, a large Egyptian landing landed on the Peloponnese, where he caught unawares the garrisons of King Phrygia. Ptolemy's next goal was Asia Minor. The king of Egypt created a powerful bridgehead in Cyprus. On this island, his army and navy were based. Learning about the plans of the enemy, Antigonus regrouped its troops. His army temporarily left Greece. This army on 160 ships headed towards Cyprus. Landed on the island, 15 thousand people led by Demetrius Poliorketa began the siege of Salamis.

Ptolemy sent to the rescue of the fortress in Cyprus, almost all of his fleet. Demetrius decided to give a sea battle. As a result of the collision, the Egyptians lost all their ships. Most of them were flooded, and transport ships went to Antigone. In 306 BC. E. Isolated Salamis capitulated. Antigonus captured Cyprus and even proclaimed himself king.

A few months after this success, the diadoch decided to inflict a crushing blow on Ptolemy's own land and equip an expedition to Egypt. However, the army of the satrap could not cross the Nile. In addition, Ptolemy sent agitators to the camp of the enemy, who in fact bought out the opponent's soldiers. The discouraged Antigone had to return home empty-handed.

For several years the opponents alone attacked each other at sea. Antigone managed to drive Lysimachus out of Phrygia. At the same time Demetrius finally finished the campaign in Greece and went to Asia Minor in order to unite with his ally. The general battle did not come. It happened only after 8 years from the beginning of the war.

The Battle of Ipsa

In the summer of 301 BC. E. There was a battle at Ipsa. This battle was the final chord of the wars of the Diadochos. The cavalry of Antigone, led by Demetrius Poliorocket, attacked the heavy cavalry of the Allies, led by the son of Seleucus Antiochus. The battle was fierce. Finally, Demetrius' cavalry defeated the enemy and rushed after them in pursuit. This act was a mistake.

Pursuing the enemy, the cavalry broke away too far from the main forces of Antigonus. Seleucus, realizing that the enemy made a mistake, put elephants into battle. They were not dangerous for the Macedonians, who learned how to use combustible means against huge animals and nailed boards. However, the elephants finally cut off the horsemen from Antigonus.

The heavy phalanx of the Phrygian king was surrounded. It was attacked by light infantry, as well as mounted archers. The phalanx, incapable of breaking through the blockade, was under fire for several hours. Finally, the soldiers of Antigone either surrendered, or fled from the battlefield. Demetrius decided to go to Greece. 80-year-old Antigonus fought until the last, until he fell, slain by an enemy dart.

Alexander's heritage

After the battle on Ipsa, the allies finally divided the former empire of Alexander. Cassander left behind Thessaly, Macedonia and Hellas. Lysimachus received Thrace, Phrygia and the Black Sea region. Seleucus went to Syria. Their opponent, Demetrius, retained several cities in Greece and Asia Minor.

All the kingdoms that arose on the ruins of the empire of Alexander the Great, adopted from it their cultural basis. Even Egypt, where Ptolemy reigned, became Hellenistic. Many countries of the Middle East have a link in the form of the Greek language. This world existed for about two centuries, until it was conquered by the Romans. The new empire also absorbed many features of Greek culture.

Today, the place and year of Alexander the Great's death are indicated in every textbook of ancient history. Premature departure from the life of the great commander was one of the most important events for all contemporaries.