After conquering vast territories in Europe and Asia, leading him to become known as one of the greatest military minds, Alexander the Great collapsed unexpectedly at the age of 32. Scholars have long tried to uncover the cause of his mysterious death with explanations including alcoholism, poison and typhoid but what is the latest theory?
Reveal the funtabulous answer
Guillian-Barré Syndrome
Dr Katherine Hall from Dunedin School of medicine in New Zealand believes Alexander the Great is the most famous case of falsely certifying a death.
At the age of 32, following a feast where he drank over a dozen pints of wine, the conqueror began to suffer from abdominal pain and developed a severe fever, leaving unable to move anything but his eyes and hands mere days after the first signs of the malady. On the eleventh day, he was pronounced dead (as he allegedly did not show any sign of breathing by that time).
He allegedly remained fully conscious until his death, despite his limbs and organs failing, as well as his breath becoming so thin doctors that were unable notice it. This, along with reports about his increasing level of paralysis led scholars to the conclusion that a campylobacter pylori infection caused his autoimmune disorder.
The disease could also explain the legend that Alexanders body showed no signs of decay even days after being pronounced dead serving as a sign of his godlike nature to his contemporaries. Meanwhile, preparations for the burial had begun, but it is likely he died some 6 days later, although at this stage he was in a coma.
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