April 23, 2008 National Geographic News
An ancient Greek
tomb thought to have held the body of Alexander the Great's father is actually
that of Alexander's half brother, researchers say.
This may mean that some of the artifacts found in the tomb—including a helmet,
shield, and silver "crown"—originally belonged to Alexander the Great
himself. Alexander's half brother is thought to have claimed these royal
trappings after Alexander's death.
The tomb was one of three royal Macedonian burials excavated in 1977 by
archaeologists working in the northern Greek
Excavators at the time found richly appointed graves with artifacts including a
unique silver headband, an iron helmet, and a ceremonial shield, along with a
panoply of weapons and an object initially identified as a scepter.
"[Archaeologists] announced that the burial in the main chamber of the
large rich [tomb] was that of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, who was
assassinated in 336 B.C," said Eugene N. Borza, professor emeritus of
ancient history at
But recent analyses of the tombs and the paintings, pottery, and other
artifacts found there, suggest that the burials are in fact one generation more
recent than had previously been thought, Borza said.
"Regarding the paraphernalia we attribute to Alexander, no single item
constitutes proof, but the quality of the argument increases with the quantity
of information," he said.
"We believe that it is likely that this material was Alexander's. As for
the dating of the tombs themselves, this is virtually certain."
Tomb Mystery
The original excavation at Vergina was led by Manolis Andronikos, an archaeologist
at
His team found the first tomb to be a simple stone box containing human remains
identified as a mature male, a somewhat younger female, and a newborn.
Tomb II, a large
vaulted tomb with two chambers, contained the remains of a young woman and a
mature male.
Tomb III, with two vaulted chambers, was the resting place of a young teenager,
most likely a male.
Both of the larger tombs contained gold, silver, and ivory ornaments, as well
as ceramic and metal vessels.
"[Andronikos] presented his theories [that the tombs were those of
Alexander's father and his family] with great skill, and the Greek nation
responded with fervent enthusiasm," Borza said.
"Indeed I was one of those who, in two early articles in the late 1970s,
accepted Andronikos' view that the remains were those of Philip II."
Borza started to doubt Andronikos' conclusions, however, as he studied the
evidence.
He contacted Olga Palagia, an art historian at the
Soon the duo
realized the significance of the fact that Tomb II and Tomb III were built
using a curved ceilings called barrel vaults.
"The earliest securely dated barrel vault in
Palagia also found that paintings on the exterior frieze of the tomb reflected
themes that were likely from the age of Alexander the Great, rather than that
of his father.
The paintings depict a ritual hunt scene with Asian themes, suggesting
influences resulting from Alexander's extensive campaigns to the east.
(Read related story: "Alexander
the Great Conquered City via Sunken Sandbar" [May 15, 2007].)
Treasures
The six-foot (two-meter) scepter found at the burial site is another clue,
Borza added.
"We have several surviving coins issued in his own lifetime showing
Alexander holding what appears to be a scepter of about that height," he
said.
Additionally, a number of silver vessels discovered in Tomb II and Tomb III are
inscribed with their ancient weights, which use a measurement system introduced
by Alexander the Great a generation after Philip II's death.
"Once we have determined on archaeological grounds that Tomb II is a
generation later than Philip II's death, we can then ask, Whose tomb is
it?" Borza said.
"We have a double royal burial from this era attested in the ancient
literature. Thus the tomb is that of [Alexander's half brother] Philip III
Arrhidaeus and his queen, Adea Eurydice."
Borza and Palagia discussed their new analysis at the meeting of the Archaeological
Institute of America in January. Their findings will be published in a
forthcoming study from the German Archaeological Institute.
Most of the ancient artifacts found at Vergina are on display today at a museum
at the site of the tombs.
Death of Alexander
Alexander died of disease in ancient
His generals appointed Philip III to take his place, and the half brother
claimed Alexander's royal objects as public symbols to solidify his power,
historians suggest.
Alexander's son, Alexander IV, who was appointed joint king along with Philip
III, was assassinated around 310 B.C. He is likely buried in Vergina's Tomb
III, which contains the remains of a young teenager, Borza said.
Historically, the only known Macedonian royal teenage burial is that of
Alexander IV, he explained.
Alexander's father, Phillip II, is buried in Tomb I, along with his wife and
their infant, according to Borza.
"Tomb I is from the age of Philip II—unlike the big chamber tombs, which
are later—and the human remains of the three burials accord well with the
assassinations of these individuals."
Winthrop Lindsay Adams, a professor of history at the
The work of Borza and his colleagues convincingly make the case that Tomb II is
the final resting place of Alexander's half brother,
"Indeed for
most scholars working in fourth-century
An artist's rendering depicts Alexander the Great landing
during a campaign in
A new analysis of a
tomb excavated in
Illustration by Tom
Lovell/NGS