The army of Alexander the Great and combat stress syndrome (326 BC)

In the summer of 326 BC, Alexander the Great’s triumphal seven-year campaign in Asia was unexpectedly halted in the upper reaches of the Indus river — not by enemy action, but by the troops’ refusal to march further eastwards. A possible reason for such drastic action by an army which had, until th...

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Main Authors: Francois P. Retief, Louise Cilliers
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of the Free State 2005-06-01
Series:Acta Theologica
Online Access:https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2075
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author Francois P. Retief
Louise Cilliers
author_facet Francois P. Retief
Louise Cilliers
author_sort Francois P. Retief
collection DOAJ
description In the summer of 326 BC, Alexander the Great’s triumphal seven-year campaign in Asia was unexpectedly halted in the upper reaches of the Indus river — not by enemy action, but by the troops’ refusal to march further eastwards. A possible reason for such drastic action by an army which had, until that point, followed its king with blind devotion, was that severe combat stress may have set in. This syndrome, as it is defined today, has been thoroughly researched. The present article investigates the possibility that combat stress perhaps provides an explanation for this dramatic occurrence in which Alexander’s dream of an empire extending to the ends of the earth was shattered.
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spelling doaj-art-cab5918aeb2141f5a95ca5b23b2c99602025-02-11T12:26:25ZengUniversity of the Free StateActa Theologica1015-87582309-90892005-06-01710.38140/at.v0i7.2075The army of Alexander the Great and combat stress syndrome (326 BC)Francois P. Retief0Louise Cilliers1University of the Free StateUniversity of the Free State In the summer of 326 BC, Alexander the Great’s triumphal seven-year campaign in Asia was unexpectedly halted in the upper reaches of the Indus river — not by enemy action, but by the troops’ refusal to march further eastwards. A possible reason for such drastic action by an army which had, until that point, followed its king with blind devotion, was that severe combat stress may have set in. This syndrome, as it is defined today, has been thoroughly researched. The present article investigates the possibility that combat stress perhaps provides an explanation for this dramatic occurrence in which Alexander’s dream of an empire extending to the ends of the earth was shattered. https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2075
spellingShingle Francois P. Retief
Louise Cilliers
The army of Alexander the Great and combat stress syndrome (326 BC)
Acta Theologica
title The army of Alexander the Great and combat stress syndrome (326 BC)
title_full The army of Alexander the Great and combat stress syndrome (326 BC)
title_fullStr The army of Alexander the Great and combat stress syndrome (326 BC)
title_full_unstemmed The army of Alexander the Great and combat stress syndrome (326 BC)
title_short The army of Alexander the Great and combat stress syndrome (326 BC)
title_sort army of alexander the great and combat stress syndrome 326 bc
url https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2075
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