Alexandria's founded by Alexander

Alexandria's founded by Alexander the Great (by year BC): 334 Alexandria in Troia (Turkey) - 333 Alexandria at Issus/Alexandrette (Iskenderun, Turkey) - 332 Alexandria of Caria/by the Latmos (Alinda, Turkey) - 331 Alexandria Mygdoniae - 331 Alexandria (Egypt) - 330 Alexandria Ariana (Herat, Afghanistan) - 330 Alexandria of the Prophthasia/in Dragiana/Phrada (Farah, Afghanistan) - 330 Alexandria in Arachosia (Kandahar, Afghanistan) - 330 Alexandria in the Caucasus (Begram, Afghanistan) - 329 Alexandria of the Paropanisades (Ghazni, Afghanistan) - 329 Alexandria Eschate or Ultima (Khodjend, Tajikistan) - 329 Alexandria on the Oxus (Termez, Afghanistan) - 328 Alexandria in Margiana (Merv, Turkmenistan) - 326 Alexandria Nicaea (on the Hydaspes, India) - 326 Alexandria Bucephala (on the Hydaspes, India) - 325 Alexandria Sogdia - 325 Alexandria Oreitide - 325 Alexandria in Opiene / Alexandria on the Indus (confluence of Indus & Acesines, India) - 325 Alexandria Rambacia (Bela, Pakistan) - 325 Alexandria Xylinepolis (Patala, India) - 325 Alexandria in Carminia (Gulashkird, Iran) - 324 Alexandria-on-the-Tigris/Antiochia-in-Susiana/Charax (Spasinou Charax on the Tigris, Iraq) - ?Alexandria of Carmahle? (Kahnu)

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Has the tomb of Roxane and young Alexander been located?

This is a very tempting assumption, but so far this is all there is. Recent excavations in Amphipolis, Greece, have unearthed a particularly large burial mound that might lead to the very tomb of Roxane, the Bactrian wife of Alexander the Great, and that of their son, Alexander IV.


After the death of Alexander the Great in Babylon, Roxane gave birth to their son. The dead king’s generals decided that the boy should share the Macedonian throne with Alexander’s (simple-minded) half-brother Arrhidaeus, who received the name of Philip-Arrhidaeus. But the everlasting bickering of these generals and their immense lust for power eventually led to the murder of the 12-year-old Alexander IV and of his mother. According to what filtered through history, the two victims were buried here in Amphipolis.

Archaeologists have found a circular, 3 meter high precinct with a perimeter of about 500 meters surrounding a tomb, which apparently has not yet been excavated due to the serious lack of money. Greece’s economy does not allow any further investigation for the time being, although the place is known since 1965 as Kasta Tom. There is no indication so far as to the identity of the tomb’s owner(s).

I can understand that the work is being stopped pending financial contribution but on the other hand I am afraid that the mound might fall in the hands of illegal diggers and tomb robbers as most sites cannot be secured properly. Let’s hope for the best.

No comments:

Post a Comment