Thanks freedumb2003. If I had to guess, it would be that this *may* have been built *for* Alexander's body, then repurposed for one of the rulers of the successor states. Unless they find an inscription "Here lies...") it's not likely to be conclusively determined. This update is the weekly GGG Digest ping as well.
Thanks for the ping. I enjoy reading this stuff.
If there were plans for a grave for Alexander in Macedonia, a more likely site would be Aegae, now Verghina, where the tomb some scholars think is the tomb of Philip II was found in the 1970s. But since Alexander was so young when he died perhaps nothing had been done about a burial site yet.
I agree that without some definative inscription we’ll probably never know for sure.
However, I don’t lean to the ‘built for Alexander but never used’ school of thought.
I’m leaning toward Olympia, his mother as the intended owner
because:
1. The Greeks weren’t hung up on the afterlife like the Egyptians and weren’t nearly as hung up on producing a tomb before death that would take years in the making like a pyramid. I doubt Alexander gave much thought to a return to Macedonia for a burial since he probably thought he’d live forever. I’m not sure if he gave instructions for a burial in Egypt but of course that is where he wound up.
2. Alexander was really a ‘momma’s boy’ and would have honored her with a nice burial tomb in the neighborhood of other Macedonian royals. But of course he died before her so that idea is somewhat tenuous, given my reason #1 above.
3.There were any number of kings and regents in Macedonia after the death of Alexander who could have built the tomb.
His wife Roxanne and son Alexander IV are reputed to have taken refuge with Olympias after his death. Olympias got involved with the struggle for power in Macedon/Greece and her machinations may have got them all killed in the end.