A researcher claims to have identified the long-lost tomb of Olympias, mother of Alexander the Great. However, other scholars express skepticism about the burial site of Alexander the Great’s mother.
Archaeologists first discovered the tomb in 1850, not far from the archaeological site of Pydna in Greece. The tomb has been studied multiple times by archaeologists since then. Recently, Athanasios Bintas, an honorary professor of Greek studies at the University of Niš in Serbia, examined the tomb and now asserts that it was used to bury the royal mother Olympias.
Made of stone, the tomb is 22 meters long and contains several chambers. The design of the tomb has led archaeologists to date it to the late fourth century to the early third century BC. Due to the tomb being raided in ancient times, no remains or artifacts have been found inside.
Alexander the Great conquered a vast empire that stretched from Macedonia to Afghanistan. After his death in 323 BC, his empire fell apart, with his generals and officials vying for control. Amid this chaos, Alexander the Great’s mother worked to protect Alexander IV (Alexander the Great’s young son) and the boy’s mother, Roxane, one of Alexander’s wives. An official named Cassander sought to seize power in Macedonia and plotted to kill Alexander’s son and wife, according to ancient historical records.
Sketch of the location of Alexander the Great’s mother’s tomb.
The forces loyal to Queen Olympias were powerless against Cassander. Cassander subsequently killed Queen Olympias before murdering Alexander IV and Roxane in 309 BC.
Although historical sources state that Cassander did not allow Queen Olympias to be buried properly, Bintas insists that her remains are interred in this elaborate stone tomb.
Bintas stated: “A deceased queen posed no threat to Cassander. The tomb may have been a more modest structure at the time of burial; but in 288 BC, when Olympias’ grandson Pyrrhus became king of Macedonia, he expanded her tomb.”
The large size of the tomb, its age, and its proximity to Pydna (where Olympias was defeated) all support the claim that it is the tomb of Olympias, Bintas said. Inscriptions found not far from the tomb seem to reference Olympias’ tomb, indicating that it could be nearby.
Scholarly Reactions
Five scholars not involved in this research either express skepticism about the claim or wish to have more information about Bintas’ study before offering their opinions.
Elizabeth Carney, a professor of humanities at Clemson University in South Carolina, USA, who has conducted extensive research, stated: “It is too early to say whether this is the tomb of Olympias, especially based on very little specific evidence.”
Ian Worthington, a professor of ancient history at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, expressed doubt that this is the tomb of Olympias. Ancient sources, Worthington noted, clearly indicate that Cassander did not allow Olympias to be buried properly; and because Cassander feared uprisings, he would prohibit a tomb that could be used to rally Cassander’s opponents.
By the time Cassander died in 297 BC, nearly 20 years had passed since Olympias’ death; Worthington stated that he doubts anyone would have trouble building an elaborate tomb at that time.
Another scholar, Robin Lane Fox, an honorary fellow of classics at the University of Oxford, UK, is even more skeptical. Fox remarked: “There is no new evidence here.”
A supporter of Bintas’ claim, Liana Souvaltzi, discovered a tomb in the 1990s at Siwa Oasis in Egypt, which she believes belongs to Alexander the Great.
