Final days
On either 10 or 11 June 323 BC, Alexander died in the palace in Babylon, aged 32. Roughly 14 days before his death, Alexander entertained his admiral Nearchus, and then, instead of going to bed, spent the night and next day drinking. After this, he had developed a fever, which then grew worse and worse.
The common soldiers had become anxious about his health, or thought he was already dead. They demanded to see him.
Two days later Alexander was dead. Alexander was struck down with pain after downing a large bowl of unmixed wine in honour of Hercules, and (rather mysteriously) died after some agony.
Possible causes
1) Poison
Diodorus, Plutarch, Arrian and Justin all mention the theory that Alexander was poisoned. Antipat, close friend of Alexander, arranged he was poisoned by his son Iollas, who was Alexander's wine-pourer.
2) Natural causes
Several diseases have been suggested as the cause of Alexander's death; malaria or typhoide fever are obvious candidates. Other illnesses could have also been the culprit, including acute pancreatitis or the West Nile virus.
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