Alexander the Great died in Babylon in 323 BC and his tomb was directed to be returned to the Greek kingdom of Macedonia. However, it is said that Alexander’s one of his four main generals, Ptolemy I, usurped the tomb and placed it in Alexandria.
Since then, there have been many theories as to whether it worked or not. Archaeologists have searched for Alexander’s tomb but have not yet found it, and the direction is starting to turn back to Vergina, Greece.
Alexander the Great’s tomb has already been discovered in Greece, prominent historian claims
The location of Alexander the Great’s tomb was and remains one of the most popular archaeological questions, leading to a variety of theories. Most historians argue primarily using only documentary evidence, and archaeologists primarily use anthropological clues. Thus, many theories emerged.
Historian at the world-famous Sorbonne University Helen Griccuzzi Ahlerweilerclaimed in a recent interview that the tomb of Alexander the Great is probably located here. vergina, greece.
Ahrweiler claims that the tomb excavated by Manolis Andronicus and identified as that of King Philip II of Macedon is actually that of Alexander. This deviates from the common opinion that the tomb is located in Alexandria.
Alexander, Satyr, Dionysus
In the tomb of King Philip, the pediment (Greek: Αέτωμα) has depictions of hunting, with Alexander the Great in the center. However, in the alleged tomb of Philip II, he also found two interesting details. On his deathbed, statues of the male god Satyr and the Greek god Dionysus are found.
Regarding the association with satyrs, Ahrweiler tells the story of his conquest of the Phoenician capital of Tire. Alexander’s. During his great expedition, Alexander encountered formidable resistance when he reached Tilos (Tyrus in Greek). Legend has it that while momentarily lost, Alexander dreamed of a satyr (Satyr in Greek). As an Aristotelian, he considered this an omen. It’s a play on words in ancient Greek, where “sa tyros” sounds like “tyros is yours.” This allowed Alexander to stay and successfully capture Tire.
In the context of Alexander’s life, the significance of the image of the Greek god Dionysus and the satyr is very profound. Dionysus is not only the god of wine, but also a symbol of the division between civilization and wildness, embodying the spirit of conquest and change. Satyrs were often associated with Dionysus and symbolized unrestricted nature and freedom. These statues on the tomb may represent Alexander’s dual nature as a man who straddles the known and unknown worlds, as a civilizer and a conqueror.
Therefore, according to Ahrweiler, the two statues of Satyr and Dionysus found in Macedonian tombs are more related to the story of Alexander than to the story of King Philip.
alexander and athena
The story takes an interesting turn when Alexander, having conquered much of the known world, seeks deification. He demanded that the Greeks recognize him as a god. The Spartans agreed without hesitation, but the Athenians debated the proposal. Alexander’s friend Demades, a famous Athenian orator, proposed that Alexander be made the 13th Olympian god. The enraged Athenians fined Demades. His answer, “He who seizes the heavens loses the earth,” hinted at the dangers of overachievement.
Fearing Alexander’s wrath, the Athenians finally gave in and agreed to worship him as Dionysus. The famous sarcastic philosopher Diogenes sarcastically said, “If you make him Dionysus, make me Serapis.” Serapis is another god known for his mixed nature, combining aspects of Greek and Eastern gods.
Gricazzi Ahrweiler’s in-depth study of the tomb of Alexander the Great
This is not the first time that Ahrweiler has discussed the location of Alexander’s tomb. Ahrweiler attempts to answer the mystery of Alexander’s tomb in his book “The Byzantine Alexander the Great”.
She points to the discovery of an American anthropologist near the tomb who found a human skeleton with a leg injury similar to that suffered by Philip II, lending credence to her theory.
Furthermore, the skeleton did not match the armor found in the tomb, which closely resembled the armor worn by Alexander at the Battle of Gaugamela, depicted in the famous Pompeii mosaic.
Even more surprising, the mystery became even more complicated when traces of a mineral known as chrysocolla, a substance used in Egyptian mummification, were found on the skeleton.
Griccuzzi-Ahrweiler also references Lucien’s writings in his book, and speculates about Alexander’s desire to see the stories written about him and the intense power struggles between his successors after his death. . This historical background highlights the uncertainty of this period and the possibility that the location of Alexander’s tomb is still unknown.
The mystery surrounding Alexander the Great’s final resting place remains unsolved, and Helen Griccuzzi-Ahrweiler’s theory points to Greece as a possible location. Her research combines anthropological findings and historical analysis to add new elements to this age-old inquiry.
Despite convincing arguments, the exact location of Alexander’s tomb has not been determined by historians or archaeologists, leaving room for further investigation and discovery in this fascinating chapter of history.