Alexanders and Hepheastion,were there deaths related

[makedonx]

Its often been said that Alexanders and Hepheastions death were not related as they were months apart.What is the reasoning to say that,having read the deaths of the two its fair to say that they were very similar and both mysterious.Its been stated that they could both have picked up some mysterious on there travels, Malaria,Nile Virus that deadly desease that was a virus but seemed selective in who it infected.Ive always thought there would have been an epidemic and no matter how small Ptolemy would have relied on his Macedonian soldiers for a claim on his split of Alexanders empire,and Im sure any small loses would have caused concern for him to note it in his histories yet, there are none.I am sure If Alexander was killed the culprits could not risk Hepheastion carrying on Alexanders work and policies so it was safe to kill the monkey as well as the organ grinder so to speak.Or y do people say they are not connected due to the fact there were months between there deaths.Id say the were connected RegardsJason

[agesilaos]

Weare generally not well informed on non-battle losses in the army, the only exception being the losses during the Gedrosian march; Curtius has more instances during the campaign in Hyrcania for instance but all these concern losses due to fatigue or exposure rather than illness.There is nothing terribly mysterious about their deaths; at the time Hephaistion's was classed as natural by Alexander himself, and rumours of poison only surfaced years after Alexander's death when it made propaganda sense to so vilify ones rivals. All the ancient authorities dismiss these stories and so should we.