have archaeologists discovered the grave of alexander the great

7/30/2019 Have Archaeologists Discovered the Grave of Alexander the Great

1/12

show ad

Have archaeologists discovered the grave ofAlexander the Great? Experts find enormousmarble tomb fit for a king under a massivemound in Greece

Archaeologists have uncovered what could be the grave of Alexander the Great at

a site near ancient Amphipolis, 370 miles north of Athens

The warrior king was thought to be buried in Egypt but experts have discovered a

marble-faced wall dating from the 4th century BCSite archaeologist Aikaterini Peristeri has voiced hopes of finding 'a significant

individual or individuals' within

PUBLISHED: 17:37 GMT, 23 August 2013 | UPDATED: 20:06 GMT, 23 August 2013

6,887 shares

170

View

comments

Archaeologists have uncovered what could be the grave of Alexander the Great at a site near ancient

Amphipolis.

The warrior king - who ruled in the 4th century BC - was thought to be buried in Egypt. But experts have now

become excited after they uncovered a marble-faced wall dating from the time.

The structure measures an impressive wall measuring 500 metres long and three metres high, which

archaeologists believe could contain a royal grave.

The site near ancient Amphipolis lies 370 miles north of Athens.


2/12

Archaeologists have uncovered what could be the grave of Alexander the Great at a site

near ancient Amphipolis. The warrior king - who ruled in the 4th century BC - was

thought to be buried in Egypt

The site near ancient Amphipolis lies 370 miles north of Athens


3/12

Alexander III of Macedon, also known as Alexander the Great, was a king of Macedon, a

state in northern ancient Greece

Site archaeologist Aikaterini Peristeri has voiced hopes of finding 'a significant individual or individuals' within.

A Culture Ministry statement has enthused that the archaeologists have partly excavated a mound that has

yielded a 'very remarkable' marble-faced wall from the late 4th century BC.

Experts believe the ancient artificial mound could contain the remains of the king, or is at least an importantroyal Macedonian grave.

The news has captured the Greek public's imaginations and many people are hopeful the site will solve the

mystery of where Alexander the Great rests.

However, Greece's Culture Ministry has warned against 'overbold' speculation that archaeologists are close to

uncovering the king's remains.

Alexander III of Macedon, also known as Alexander the Great, was a king of Macedon, a state in northern

ancient Greece.

He was born in Pella in 356 BC and was tutored by Aristotle until the age of 16.


4/12

View at a section of a trench in which a marble-faced wall was found around a tumulus in

ancient Amphipolis. According to the Greek Ministry of Culture the marble-faced wall

dates back to the late 4th century BC - to the time of Alexander the Great

The structure measures an impressive 500 metres long and three metres high, which

archaeologists believe could contain a royal grave. Here you can see carvings in the


5/12

marble

Greece's Culture Ministry has warned against 'overbold' speculation that archaeologists

are close to uncovering the king's remains. A trench dug to study the wall is pictured

However, by the age of 30 he had created one of the largest empires of the ancient world, stretching from the

Ionian Sea to the Himalayas.

Undefeated in all his battles, he is considered one of history's most successful commanders.

He succeeded his father to the throne in 336BC and inherited a strong kingdom and experienced army.

Having been awarded the generalship of Greece, he commenced his father's military expansion plans and in

334 BC began a series of campaigns that lasted 10 years.

He conquered the whole of the Persian Empire but being an ambitious warrior, seeking to reach the 'ends of

the world,' he invaded India in 326 BC but later turned back.

It is believed Alexander the Great died in Babylon in 323 BC before his plans to invade Arabia.

He is credited with founding some 20 cities that bore his name, including Alexandria in ancient Egypt, and

spread Greece's culture east.

There are several stories about where Alexander the Great was buried after he suddenly died of a fever at the

age of just 32 - although some believe he was poisoned.

History tells that his body was laid to rest in a gold sarcophagus filled with honey. It is said to have been taken

to Memphis before Alexandria in Egypt where it remained until late Antiquity.

Famous Romans Pompey, Augustus and Julius Caesar are all said to have visited his tomb in Alexandria, with

Caligula reportedly swiping the warrior's breastplate for a souvenir.


6/12

MOST WATCHED NEWS VIDEOS

Previous

1

2

3

Next

Newsreader's daughter interrupts live TV report

Woman saves children from flood-trapped car in Essex

Little girl shares a kiss with baby gorilla

Sensational moment diver reaches into mouth of shark to...

Baby North pic unveiled for the first time on Kris

CCTV footage allegedly shows Michaella collecting the drugs

Dispatched soldier surprises sis at her wedding


7/12

How Christine Keeler looked in the 1963 film The Keeler...

Sultry Sydney Leathers in porno promo for 'Weiner and Me'

Newsreader breaks news of her own proposal

Lifeboat crew pulls Shetland helicopter wreck from sea

Female photojournalist gang raped by group in Mumbai

MOST READ NEWS

Previous

1

2

3

Next

Terrified stooges or calculated smugglers? Incredible...


8/12

Former model Christine Keeler, 71, is unrecognisable as she...

Pictured: The THIRD Ibiza girl who escaped drug gang but...

Is this the moment cocaine mules took drugs to the airport?...

Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson 'are back together' 17...

'I'm not 100% sure of their story': Peru drug mule's father...

Caught on camera: Incredible moment three children are...

Will Harry make Cressida his princess? Claims playboy prince...

'Everything here is so corrupt. Pray for me': Peru mule...


9/12

Is Gregg toast? BBC in crisis talks with MasterChef host...

Fiancee of murdered soldier Lee Rigby left with nothing from...

'I'm a vicious alcoholic on the verge of dying': Mike Tyson...

Comments (170)

Newest

Oldest

Best rated

Worst rated

View all

---------Well said---------e.m. Thessaloniki Greece......

- Katina , Kastoria, Greece, 25/8/2013 16:20

Click to rate Rating 1

Report abuse

The excavator as well as the Greek ministry of Culture never spoke of the tomb of Alexander III, but of the tomb of an important,

PLAUSIBLY royal, individual. Alexander was buried in EGYPT and his sarcophagus was reportedly seen there until the Roman

Period. The Amphipolis structure is older (Hellenistic) than the last reported visit of a Roman Emperor to the mausoleum of

Alexander in Egypt. As such, it is impossible that this 4th c. B.C. structure contains the sarcophagus. The rest is not SCIENCE, but

FICTION. Regarding the Greekness of the Macedonians, the Macedonians SPOKE Greek (Doric Greek, like the Spartans) and

worshipped the OLYMPIAN GODS. Alexander's lineage thought the Greek hero HERAKLES (known in Latin as Hercules) to be their

ancestor (similarly the Spartan kings thought Herakles to be their ancestor). Macedonian kings participated in the OLYMPIC GAMES

which were reserved ONLY to Greeks. Try reading the ancient author ISOCRATES regarding Philip II for more insight.

- e.m. , Thessaloniki, Greece, 25/8/2013 15:25


Report abuse

You know Amphipolis isn't near Athens so don't get confused !!! Amphipolis is a municipality in the Serres of Central Macedonia,

Greece ! :) Now, i don't know if it is The tomb of our Alexander The Great but if it's not, it's still a great discovery :)

- chikonikol , thessaloniki, Greece, 25/8/2013 05:19


Report abuse


10/12

Hurry up and DIG!

- James , Crimora VA USA, 25/8/2013 04:14


Report abuse

He did not defeat the Afghans. No one ever has, including you Brits, who are now on your fourth try. He ended up buying them off,

paying them to use their roads, a tactic also brought back into play by the US in more recent times.

- Alex Hidell , Dry Prong, 25/8/2013 00:25


Report abuse

Life itself is always now. It was now all those years ago and it's the same today.

- Bazza123 , Sundridge, United Kingdom, 24/8/2013 23:53


Report abuse

Finding Alexander the Great's tomb would be the greatest archeological discovery ever! I suspect it is under water in Alexandria from

the historical accounts.

- beijingyank , beijing, 24/8/2013 22:10


Report abuse

Phjilip II was buried at Vergina - surely if Alexander was going to be buried anywhere in Greece, it would be there, with his

ancestors? But if he was known to be buried in Alexandria, who moved him and when? How?

- Lil , Samarkand, United Kingdom, 24/8/2013 20:57


Report abuse

More likely the tomb of Alexander's father, Philip of Macedon, if it is a tomb at all

- Brian M. , New York, United States, 24/8/2013 20:26


Report abuse

More likely to be the tomb of his father, Philip of Macedon, if it is a tomb at all

- Brian M. , New York, United States, 24/8/2013 20:19


Report abuse

Share this comment

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.


11/12

Like

MailOnline

Follow

@MailOnline

Today's headlines

Most Read

True colour of wine revealed: Astonishing close-up images of alcoholic drinks viewed under the microscope

How scientists BOTTLED the Northern Lights: Glass dome captures Earth's most colourful light show

Return of the Polaroid: Fujifilm resurrects iconic camera to print card-sized photos instantly

Life at a snail's pace: Video reveals why they piggyback one another, how they hijack slime - and top speeds of one metre anhour

Murder the 14th Century way: Aristocrat's POISON RING could deliver a deadly dose to a political rival's wine goblet

Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer makes 'surprise' exit from company - sending shares soaring by almost 6%

Scientists discover the world's oldest globe of the New World - carved on OSTRICH eggs (and it could have been crafted in

Leonardo da Vinci's workshop)

Hacker pilots a drone with Google Glass using just his head movements

Selfies are 'damaging' and leave young people vulnerable to abuse, claims psychologist

Does working long hours make you a bad father? Men who do overtime are more likely to have 'delinquent and aggressive'

sons

EBay users in UK and U.S. lose out on sales and are locked out of their accounts for hours as 'site maintenance' overruns

How Princess Diana, Neil Diamond and Tiger Woods can help improve your memory: Expert reveals the secrets behind his

incredible powers of recall

Dream Chaser 'space taxi' - that could one day give astronauts a lift to the International Space Station - hitches a ride on a

helicopter to test its equipmentForget sleep walking - now people are TEXTING in the night: Rise in number of people who use their phone while asleep

Why a problem shared is a problem DOUBLED: Empathy is so strong in humans that we confuse our friends' worries with

our own

Addicted to Facebook? Shocking device ELECTROCUTES social network users to help break the habit

MORE HEADLINES

Have archaeologists discovered the grave of Alexander the Great? Experts find enormous marble tomb fit for a king in

Greece

Hacker pilots a drone with Google Glass using just his head movements

Apple's iPhone 5S will come with TWO flashes to make photos look more professional, while the low-cost iPhone C will be

scratch-resistant

Scientists discover the world's oldest globe of the New World - carved on OSTRICH eggs (and it could have been crafted in

Leonardo da Vinci's workshop)Murder the 14th Century way: Aristocrat's POISON RING could deliver a deadly dose to a political rival's wine goblet

How Steve Balmer made over $700 million by firing himself from Microsoft

Could marijuana be GOOD for mental health? Breakthrough study claims the drug could be used to help treat depression

Dream Chaser 'space taxi' - that could one day give astronauts a lift to the International Space Station - hitches a ride on a

helicopter to test its equipment

Selfies are 'damaging' and leave young people vulnerable to abuse, claims psychologist

Invasion of the flying ants: Billions of the insects have been taking to the skies after humid end to the summer

How 900-year-old African coins found in Australia may finally solve the mystery of who arrived Down Under first

Return of the Polaroid: Fujifilm resurrects iconic camera to print card-sized photos instantly

It took 30 years to get off the ground but the jetpack is finally ready for takeoff (but it'll set you back 160,000)

How Princess Diana, Neil Diamond and Tiger Woods can help improve your memory: Expert reveals the secrets behind his

incredible powers of recall

Why a problem shared is a problem DOUBLED: Empathy is so strong in humans that we confuse our friends' worries with

our ownCould we soon be reading people's MINDS? Software uses brain scans to identify exactly what people are looking at

MOST READ IN DETAIL

GADGET REVIEWS

Gadget review: Samsung Galaxy S4 phone

At the end of July Samsung overtook Apple to become the world's most profitable mobile phone company. We look at the S4 to see

why it's so popular.

Gadget of the week: Lepow Moonstone 6000 mobile power bank


12/12

Ever been out and about and your phone's run out of juice? Of course you have. The Lepow Moonstone 6000mAh portable

powerbank could be a lifesaver.

Yurbuds Ironman Series headphones

The selling point of the Yurbuds are that they don't fall out. Which on the face of it, given that headphones are meant to stay in your

ears, doesn't seem that big a deal.

Gadget of the week: Kansi 9twenty folding bike

Feast your eyes on the Kansi 9twenty - one of a range of four bikes on the market in the UK - highly functional and fab looking. Well

worth the asking price.

Philips In Sight wireless home monitor

The Philips In Sight wireless home monitor is a brilliant way of keeping track of your home. Place it in any room and watch a live

video feed from your smartphone.

Sennheiser Momentum over-ear headphones

Quality comes at a price, but not as much as youd think. The Momentums blend state-of-the-art design and materials with

cutting-edge sound.

Philips ActionFit sports headband

I've always been skeptical about sports headphones that aren't in-ear. The pairs I have owned have either been uncomfortable or too

loose.

WeSC Piston headphones

At 40, these WeSC Piston headphones seem somewhat of a bargain. Sadly, although their looks will win over fans, audio soundsmuffled whatever the volume.

LifeProof iPhone case

Cracking your iPhone screen is one of the most annoying things you can do. Thankfully, the new LifeProof iPhone case will make

this a thing of the past.

Turtle Beach Ear Force PX22 gaming headphones

Gaming headsets can be costly. And at 69.99, the Ear Force PX22 comes in at the cheaper end of the spectrum. Thankfully, its

sound still packs a solid punch.

Jawbone UP band: Sleeping, eating and moving has never been so interesting

The UP wristband by Jawbone promises a lot. It takes a 'holistic approach to a healthy lifestyle' to 'keep you moving forward'. It

tracks sleep, food and movement.

Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd

Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group

Associated Newspapers Ltd

have archaeologists discovered the grave of alexander the great

Documents