Alexander the Greatly Traumatised: Was the Irrational Behaviour of Alexander the Great Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?

Shay was the first to argue, in 1994, that Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (‘PTSD’) existed in the ancient Greek world, setting off a debate that has continued to the present day. Two main figures in this debate are: (a) Melchoir, who argued, in 2011, that PTSD is being used anachronistically to explain behaviour in the ancient world; and (b) Tritle, who, in 2003, argued that Alexander the Great was a victim of psychological trauma. This seminar will contribute to this ongoing debate about Alexander III by offering some further examples of behaviour from Alexander that correlates to symptoms of PTSD – examples that Tritle did not analyse. It should be noted that medical scholars themselves have not resolved whether PTSD is a purely modern phenomenon that cannot be applied to historical situations; and it is, of course, impossible medically to diagnose Alexander himself. There is thus no clear resolution to this ongoing debate. However, contemplating the side effects of psychological trauma on Alexander does open up new insights into his behaviour in his final years. For instance, it contributes to the ongoing interpretation of Alexander’s so-called ‘irrational’ actions, when he became increasingly violent and paranoid towards the end of his life. It is possible to conclude that, given that Alexander was displaying behaviour symptomatic of PTSD, psychological trauma could have been a factor contributing to Alexander’s changing behaviour at this time.