In June 323 BC, Alexander the Great fell ill in Babylon after a night of heavy drinking, suffering from a sudden onset of severe fever, joint pain, and progressive paralysis.
Over eleven days, his condition deteriorated until he lost the ability to speak and was ultimately pronounced dead at age 32. Ancient accounts record that despite hot summer conditions, his body showed no signs of decomposition for six days following his death.
Witnesses and followers interpreted this apparent lack of decay as proof of his divinity, solidifying the myth that Alexander was a living god whose mortal remains were immune to corruption.
Modern medical scholars propose that Alexander suffered from Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), an autoimmune neurological disorder often triggered by a gastrointestinal infection like Campylobacter jejuni. GBS causes ascending paralysis, gradually stripping the body of muscle control while leaving cognitive function intact.
As the paralysis reached his diaphragm, his breathing would have become so shallow and faint that ancient physicians could not detect a heartbeat or pulse.
Because body temperature regulation would have also failed, his metabolic rate plummeted, significantly delaying visible decomposition. Consequently, Alexander was likely declared dead while still conscious, making it probable that he died of suffocation or was prepared for burial while technically still alive.