Hello Everyone and Happy Monday! It’s hard to believe we are already halfway through March!
Today’s Famously Unknown will be a little different than the others…
Our famous Epileptic this week is Alexander the Great, and since he was born in 355BC, the world was an entirely different place than it is now.
And, since I went to school for Medicine and not for History, I had a pretty hard time coming up with a narrative about Alexander’s life.
Instead, I’d like to simply share some of the exciting facts about his life with Epilepsy!
Enjoy!
- Alexander III, also known as Alexander the Great took the throne at the age of 20 after his father was assassinated. He never once lost a battle, earning him the title of “The most incomparable general the world has ever seen”. And that title was earned while Alexander was living with Epilepsy.
- He was born in Pella, Greece into the royal family of Macedon.
- Alexander was tutored by Aristotle, until the age of 16.
- He died at the age of 33, after 12 grueling years of constant military campaigning.
- Alexander’s Epilepsy was referred to as a “falling sickness” and was thought of as a Sacred Disease. This belief stemmed from the thought that those with seizures were either possessed by evil spirits or touched by the Gods. Since Alexander was born into a royal family, his Epilepsy was assumed to be a gift from the Gods, earning him social protection as he was rumored to have mystical powers.
- He is often referred to as one of the most influential people in all of human history.
Amazing that someone so young could accomplish so much while living with Epilepsy!
And even though the world back then was entirely different than it is now, it seems to me that Alexander had his fair share of roadblocks in life that he had to work through.
Although it may have helped that he was considered to have special powers!
Thanks again for tuning in readers. I hope your week is starting out wonderfully!
Have a fantastic evening and don’t forget to Seize The Day!
Hello from Minnesota! I was diagnosed with Generalized Idiopathic Temporal Lobe Epilepsy in 2006. My goal is to create and contribute to a community for those living with Epilepsy & other neurological disorders, so that we can support each other, raise awareness, and share our hope for fewer seizures in the future!