A Stone at the Siege of Cyropolis and the Death of Alexander the Great |
| |
Authors: | Andrew N Williams Robert Arnott |
| |
Institution: | Centre for the History of Medicine , University of Birmingham Medical School , Birmingham, UK |
| |
Abstract: | Alexander the Great was struck by a stone at the Siege of Cyropolis in 329 BC and was rendered temporarily blind and inaudible as a result. Although other authors have written extensively about the likely pathological effects of this injury, none have suggested carotid artery dissection as a possible cause. We present evidence that this should be considered as a differential diagnosis and how it might explain an unusual symptom seen at his deathbed in Babylon six years later. |
| |
Keywords: | Alexander the Great carotid artery dissection |
|