Mystery of the Macedonian tomb: New king identified
New research reveals that the skeleton in the tomb of Alexander the Great's family does not belong to his father, Philip II. Analyses indicate an unknown Macedonian king.
In the tomb of Alexander the Great's family, known as the Great Tumulus in Vergina (formerly the capital of Macedonia, today a city in northern Greece), a skeleton was discovered, which was previously attributed to Philip II, Alexander's father. However, the latest research has shown that the remains belong to an unknown Macedonian king who died at least 20 years before the assassination of Philip II. The research findings were published in a scientific journal in the "Journal of Archaeological Science".
Alexander the Great is considered one of the greatest strategists in history. His fame comes from the impressive conquests he carried out. During an 11-year military campaign, he reached as far as Central Asia, encompassing the Indus Valley. Earlier, his armies achieved victories in regions including Egypt.
Who is the mysterious king from the tomb?
The tombs, which were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, were discovered in 1977. From the beginning, it was evident that the remains belonged to close relatives of Alexander the Great. Nevertheless, scientists needed almost fifty years to accurately determine who was buried there.
The Great Tumulus in Vergina contains graves of members of the Argead dynasty, founders of the Kingdom of Macedonia. For years, it was believed that one of the graves contained Philip II along with his wife Cleopatra and their infant. However, new analyses, including radiocarbon dating and genetic testing, indicate that the adult male died between 388 and 356 B.C., which rules out his identity as Philip II.
The latest analyses by scientists showed that the adult male was 25 to 35 years old at the time of death, and the accompanying woman was between 18 and 25 years old. Moreover, the grave contained the bones of at least six infants, dating from the Roman period, from 150 B.C. to 130 A.D. Scientists suggest that the parents of the deceased newborns from the Roman period used this grave as a burial site.
What are the further conclusions from the research?
This discovery excludes the possibility that the younger inhabitants of the grave were children of the murdered royal couple. Researchers emphasise that previous suggestions that the remains belonged to Philip II, his wife Cleopatra, and their child are not scientifically justified.
Scientists do not speculate on the identities of the adults buried in the grave, but due to the richness of the tumulus, they claim that the man must have been a person of high status, possibly a king, who died in young or middle age.
