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Amphipolis: five remains found inside the tomb
That’s about the latest fact that has transpired: five people have been buried at the Amphipolis tomb. According to the latest announcement made by the Greek Ministry of Culture, there were four...
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Traces of Alexander’s siege at Gaza?
It would be too good to be true, of course, but rumors have it that a military outpost recently excavated near Gaza may have been destroyed by Alexander the Great.[Photo Credit: IsraelAntiquities...
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Along the Via Egnatia: Apollonia in Illyria
The Via Egnatia as mentioned earlier (see: Via Egnatia, a road to remember) was built by the Romans in the 2ndcentury AD and served as a major connection between ByzantiumandRome. As far as the...
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Visiting the ancient city of Babylon
For once I want to share the entire article I found about an aficionado visitor to the remains of Babylon. So few people can really go there and walk the Processional Way used by Alexander the Great...
View ArticleFull color on the lion horoscope of Nemrud Dag
In an earlier blog “The Lion Horoscope of Mount Nemrud”, I spoke in detail about this intriguing horoscope on top of the lion relief that has been deciphered recently.In the frame of the present...
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Sagalassos in Alexander’s campaign
Amazingly enough, the story of Sagalassos so far has remained untold on my weblog, in spite of the details shared around the great exhibition that was held in Tongeren, Belgium, not so long ago...
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A tentative visit of Tralles
Today’s name for Tralles is Tralleis nearby the city of Aydin where signposts point me in the right direction. Tralles seems to have reached the level of Ephesusor Pergamon, but so far only basic...
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Earthquake in Sagalassos!
Earthquakes were the cause why Sagalassos was abandoned. Noticeable was the earthquake of 518 AD, but mainly those of 644 and 661 separated by seventeen years only (see: Sagalassos in Alexander’s...
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Along the Via Egnatia: Dyrrhachion in Illyria
Except for the significant remains in Apollonia which I discussed earlier (see: Along the Via Egnatia: Apollonia in Illyria), the other cities along the Via Egnatiahave little remains to offer, merely...
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How Syria is Loosing its Precious Heritage
Looting, bombing and overall destruction of antique sites, even those listed by UNESCO as part of our word heritage hurt me deeply. They are part of our history and part of our culture that is being...
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Miletus, more than a city
When writing about Miletus it is obvious to tackle the remains of that once so great city and to place them in their historical context – in my case especially around Alexander the Great (see: Miletus,...
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Apollonia in Cyrenaica (eastern Libya) after Alexander
In 322 BC, the year after Alexander’s death, Ptolemy I who had established himself as ruler of Egypt conquered five Libyan cities. They are collectively known as the Pentapolis and include beside...
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Along the Via Egnatia: from Ohrid to Elbasan in Illyria
The Via Egnatia entered Illyria at Ohrid in the east, then ran through Elbasan from where one arm connected directly to Dyrrhachion(see: Along the Via Egnatia: Dyrrhachionin Illyria). Another one...
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Dividing the Spoils. The War for Alexander’s Empire by Robin Waterfield
Dividing the Spoils (ISBN 978-0-19-964700-2): at last a book where I’m not getting lost amidst the many successors and everlasting wars!When Alexander died in 323 BC there was no heir to the throne and...
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Afrasiab excavations: remains of a monumental public building
To my surprise, excavations at Afrasiab(ancient Greek Maracandaor modernSamarkand in Uzbekistan) by the Franco-Uzbek Archaeological Mission have revealed the burnt remains of a monumental public...
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Alexander in virtual images?
Soon there will be no excuse for those who still don’t know Alexander the Great. By the end of 2015, Greek archaeologists will have put together a virtual museum for Alexander to present his...
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Sardes, the capital of ancient Lydia and a key-city for Alexander’s Successors
My last visit to Sardes goes back several years and it seems that Turkey is finally promoting this unique site. Tourism is definitely on the rise, but whether that is a good thing or not, depends on...
View ArticleGreek art at its best in two separate exhibitions
In my eyes, Greek art just like Greek temples is pure perfection. A matter of taste or a matter of judgment, no doubt, but no civilization has ever created anything better. The Romans loved it so much...
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Amphipolis’ Lion not Part of the Tomb
Right, now they tell us! According to the latest statement, the famous Lion of Amphipolis from the 4th century BC could never have been sitting on top of the tomb that was the center of so much...
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Priene, delightfully Greek
Unlike so many remains of Greek settlements, Priene has not been turned into a Roman city. What a delightful blessing!Priene, like neighbouring Miletusand Ephesos, was part of the Ionian League,...
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