This is an alternate history I am doing. It is about Alexander surviving what in OTL, he died from, (whatever illness or poison it was) and continuing his conquests. The POD is obviously Alexander miraculously surviving.
The invasion force was ready. The administration was in order after a little shuffling around. The men were ready. Everything was set for the invasion of Arabia. Alexander would take the wealthy coastal Arab lands of myrrh and frankincense. Everything was ready. Everything...except for Alexander himself.
The Great King, despite continuing with his normal routine as if nothing was wrong, had been stricken with fever for quite some time, and was becoming ever more gravely ill as the days passed by. As his condition became ever more dire, his generals became worried that the man who had cheated death on so many occasions in the past, might be on his deathbed. Rumours of poison began to circulate through the leaders, and down into the rank and file soldiers. Many suspected that old man Antipater, the man whom Alexander had left as regent in Macedon all those years ago, when he had set out for the lands of Persia, was the culprit.
The motive was there. After receiving back and fourth messages between Antipater and Olympias (Alexander's mother) while on campaign, the king had finally found time to settle the dispute once and for all. Both Olympia and Antipater despised each other, but were forced to tolerate the other, as they were both stuck in Greece while Alexander was out conquering the world. As a result, they had constantly sent letters to Alexander, accusing one another of this and that, and explaining how the other was getting in the way. Antipater accused Olympia of butting in constantly on affairs, and not letting him get anything done, being a very large nuisance. Olympia argued that Antipater was acting more like a king himself, and was plotting to take control of Greece all for himself.
Alexander could have not believed the claims of Olympia, knowing that she had hated Antipater for as long as he could remember. However, he knew he had to do something about this dispute. Not being able to go against his mother, he instead decided to remove Antipater from power peacefully. A message was sent to him, stating that Craterus, who was returning to Greece with Alexander's decomissined veterans, would replace him as regent. Antipater was no fool, and knew this was a death sentence. After sending his son, an old childhood friend of Alexander, to reason with him failed, some suspect that he had resigned to murdering Alexander. The ability was there, as his other son was Alexander's cupbearer, making poison simple to accomplish.
Whether or not the cause of Alexander's illness was poison or just a result of his previous injuries, is impossible to know. However, as Alexander grew increasingly ill, the question arose of who would succeed him on the throne as regent until Roxane's (a Bactrian wife of Alexander) baby (assuming it would be a boy), was born and then came of age. Some theorized that it would be his boyhood friend, Ptolemy, who had been with the king everywhere, and shared in his perilous adventures. Other's believed it would be his longtime loyal companion, Perdicus. And others yet, believed it would be the powerful infantry commander, Cleomenes. The more sickly Alexander became, the more urgent and important the question became.
Then, the God's became merciful, and spared Alexander from death. Miraculously, like he had done so many times before, the king had cheated death yet again.
Prologue
The invasion force was ready. The administration was in order after a little shuffling around. The men were ready. Everything was set for the invasion of Arabia. Alexander would take the wealthy coastal Arab lands of myrrh and frankincense. Everything was ready. Everything...except for Alexander himself.
The Great King, despite continuing with his normal routine as if nothing was wrong, had been stricken with fever for quite some time, and was becoming ever more gravely ill as the days passed by. As his condition became ever more dire, his generals became worried that the man who had cheated death on so many occasions in the past, might be on his deathbed. Rumours of poison began to circulate through the leaders, and down into the rank and file soldiers. Many suspected that old man Antipater, the man whom Alexander had left as regent in Macedon all those years ago, when he had set out for the lands of Persia, was the culprit.
The motive was there. After receiving back and fourth messages between Antipater and Olympias (Alexander's mother) while on campaign, the king had finally found time to settle the dispute once and for all. Both Olympia and Antipater despised each other, but were forced to tolerate the other, as they were both stuck in Greece while Alexander was out conquering the world. As a result, they had constantly sent letters to Alexander, accusing one another of this and that, and explaining how the other was getting in the way. Antipater accused Olympia of butting in constantly on affairs, and not letting him get anything done, being a very large nuisance. Olympia argued that Antipater was acting more like a king himself, and was plotting to take control of Greece all for himself.
Alexander could have not believed the claims of Olympia, knowing that she had hated Antipater for as long as he could remember. However, he knew he had to do something about this dispute. Not being able to go against his mother, he instead decided to remove Antipater from power peacefully. A message was sent to him, stating that Craterus, who was returning to Greece with Alexander's decomissined veterans, would replace him as regent. Antipater was no fool, and knew this was a death sentence. After sending his son, an old childhood friend of Alexander, to reason with him failed, some suspect that he had resigned to murdering Alexander. The ability was there, as his other son was Alexander's cupbearer, making poison simple to accomplish.
Whether or not the cause of Alexander's illness was poison or just a result of his previous injuries, is impossible to know. However, as Alexander grew increasingly ill, the question arose of who would succeed him on the throne as regent until Roxane's (a Bactrian wife of Alexander) baby (assuming it would be a boy), was born and then came of age. Some theorized that it would be his boyhood friend, Ptolemy, who had been with the king everywhere, and shared in his perilous adventures. Other's believed it would be his longtime loyal companion, Perdicus. And others yet, believed it would be the powerful infantry commander, Cleomenes. The more sickly Alexander became, the more urgent and important the question became.
Then, the God's became merciful, and spared Alexander from death. Miraculously, like he had done so many times before, the king had cheated death yet again.
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