In 323BC Alexander ordered that a monument to the founding prophet be torn down. He desecrated the temples, outlawed the religion, executed the priests. He ordered the holy book the 'Avesta' to be burned. The Zorastrian high priests took the unprecedented step of declaring Alexander to be the incarnation of the devil. They issued a 'fatwa' against him and condemed him to death. They had put a 'contract' out on his life.

Alexander totaly underestimated them, and erected a blsphemous statue of a lion in their holy city. He ignored their threats against him.

Not only did Alexander belive himself to be invinsable as a god, he declared Hephaestion one too.

The banquet at which Alexander was struck mortaly ill was given to celebrate the divinity of Hephaestion.