The Theory of Hemlock

  In a nutshell, historians are baffled at how someone like Alexander the Great, so young (32) and strong, could die in a span of two weeks.
  In the first of many theories, I will explain what I beleive to be how Alexander the Great died.

One theory would be that of alcohol poisoning, which, might or might not be credible. He was an alcoholic, but he was strong, not so old, and smart as a whip.

Another would be that he was assassinated, but upon examination of his mummified corpse, showed he was whole, scarred yes, but not injured, and the Egyptians, being the first to use stitches, had done nothing of the sort on the chest area. The only incisions were those of disemboweling.

  My theory, is that he was poisoned. His Persian lover, Bagoas was a Eunuch, or a castrated male, and they were defenders of women, musicians, and religeous specialists. Being that Alexander was married to three Persian princesses, it may very well be that Bagoas, his second male lover, slipped Hemlock into the royal chalice of the Great one himself.

 Hemlock is a plant, of both land and water variety, the land being benign, the water variety being the poison. When consumed, either in liquid, or solid will begin to shut down the body. When Alexander was drinking, I theorize that Bagoas slipped a bit of liquid water hemlock into Alexanders' wine, and when Alexander took a sip, the poison was within him, in his system, slowly but surely taking his life.

 Stages of Hemlock poisoning
   Abdominal pain
 internal bleeding
Vomiting
 chills
  head colds
 uncontrollable shaking
coma
 Death

 All of these things occured or, were recorded as happening. His death was violont, and less then peaceful.

Before he died, he had three requests.
 1. His physician was to bear his coffin back to Pella
2. His soldiers were to scatter the spoils of war in his treasury behind him
 3. He wanted his hands outside of his coffin
When asked why he wanted things to be this way, he answered, "I want people to know that when faced with death, not even the best physician can save you. I also do not want future conquerers to waste thier time chasing wealth as I had; and lastly, I want to show the world that I was born with empty hands, and I shall the leave this world in the same manner."