Where is the Body of Alexander the Great? [8:35]

YouTube ^ | July 1, 2022 | Garrett Ryan, Ph.D (as toldinstone)

[SunkenCiv]

For six centuries, the body of Alexander the great lay in a monumental tomb in at heart of Alexandria. After a series of disasters, the tomb vanished. The conqueror's body, however, may have survived... 

Following the death of the conqueror in Babylon, their body began a long journey involving squabbling generals, a golden coffin in Alexandria, and various imperial visitors. tol-in-stone examines the tumultuous history of this lost mausoleum, exploring theories ranging from catastrophic destruction to a potential relocation to Venice. 

Where is the Body of Alexander the Great? | 8:35 
toldinstone | 648K subscribers | 298,441 views | July 1, 2022

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TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: alexanderthegreat; godsgravesglyphs; toldinstone; venice

[SunkenCiv]

Chapters:
0:00 The death of Alexander
0:55 Aftermath
2:08 Alexander's tomb
3:20 Disaster strikes, repeatedly
4:53 The quest for Alexander's tomb
5:56 Is Alexander in Venice?
6:22 No, he isn't
7:19 A few scenarios

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YouTube transcript reformatted at textformatter.ai *may* follow.

[SunkenCiv]

Couple more video links coming up. Josh could do an homage to Gomer Pyle and say, "Golllll leee", and it would seem right. A shorter 'teaser' edit has been a topic in the past, the full version and a 9+ minute edit will be linked below.

[BenLurkin]

Perhaps his was one of the many mummies which the later Egyptians used for fuel.

[SunkenCiv]

Transcript

The Death of Alexander

On the evening of May 29, 323 BC, at Babylon, Alexander the Great attended a banquet. The guests — all generals and potentates of the empire — drank freely in the usual Macedonian way, toasting the king and each other with goblet after goblet of unmixed wine. Toward the end of the banquet, after yet another round of toasts, Alexander began to feel ill. The next morning, he woke with a fever. At first, Alexander ignored his illness, busying himself with preparations for his upcoming expedition to Arabia. But his fever worsened, until he could no longer get out of bed. His voice failed. He lapsed into unconsciousness. On the tenth day after the banquet, Alexander breathed his last. He was 32 years old.

Aftermath

Since becoming King of Macedon 12 years before, Alexander had conquered the largest empire to that point in history. He had burned Thebes and Persepolis. He had defeated the gargantuan armies of the King of Kings, the horsemen of the steppes, and the elephants of the Indian princes. He had been acclaimed pharaoh. He had declared himself a god. And now, he was dead. The initial reaction was shock, followed by a mad scramble for power. Alexander’s embalmed body lay at Babylon for two years, as his former generals schemed and squabbled. At last, during a lull in the in-fighting, the king’s remains began the long recessional to Macedon in a gargantuan carriage drawn by 64 mules in gilded harness. In Syria, the carriage and its honor guard were diverted south by forces loyal to Ptolemy, the general who had seized control of Egypt. The king’s coffin was brought to Memphis, ancient capital of the pharaohs, while Ptolemy built a suitably impressive mausoleum in Alexandria, the new Greek metropolis on the mouths of Nile.

Alexander’s Tomb

Alexander’s Mausoleum — which came to be known as the Soma — was part of the palace complex Ptolemy and his successors built in the heart of Alexandria. The interior was dominated by a sarcophagus of solid gold, later replaced — when one of Ptolemy’s successors found himself strapped for cash — by a crystal casket. There Alexander’s body remained, revered by the world, for centuries. Augustus had the lid of the casket removed so that he could gaze upon the conqueror. He laid flowers on the mummified torso, fitted a golden circlet on the head, and — according to one source — managed to break the nose when he bent to kiss the withered cheeks. Two and a half centuries later, Caracalla — whose hero-worship was so intense that he believed himself to be Alexander reborn — visited the tomb with his retinue. The lid was lifted again, and Caracalla saw his idol, face to nose-less face. He draped his cloak over the wizened body and let his golden rings fall, one by one, into the crystal casket.

Disaster Strikes, Repeatedly

Caracalla is the last person known to have entered the tomb of Alexander. In 272, during a catastrophic riot, fire swept over the whole palace quarter, destroying most of it. If Alexander’s tomb survived the flames, it may have perished a generation later, when the armies of Diocletian sacked Alexandria. A more literal wave of destruction followed in 365, when a tsunami came roaring over the harbor, plucking ships from their moorings, battering down buildings, and burying most of the city beneath a wall of water.

Speaking of Water Damage...

Do you have trouble with water in your house? If your pipes or drains are clogged, and you live in or near Astoria, Queens, call Steve at Woosh, and make it drain. And since Steve, like Alexander, understands that speed is the essence of an effective campaign, we now return to our topic. Perhaps it was the tsunami that finally destroyed Alexander’s tomb. Perhaps it was the sack, or the fire, or any of the countless episodes of urban unrest that bloodied the streets of Alexandria in late antiquity. One late fourth-century author implies that the tomb still existed in his time. Another, however, rhetorically asks whether anyone knows where Alexander lies. Whatever the cause, no source mentions the tomb after the end of the fourth century.

The Quest for Alexander’s Tomb

Many attempts have been made to locate Alexander’s tomb. The sanest have focused on central Alexandria, where the palace quarter of the ancient city is assumed to have stood. Even here, however, practical difficulties make the search almost impossible. A densely populated city is not an easy place in which to dig; and any remains that still exist have likely been damaged or destroyed by the deep foundations of modern buildings. If the remains of Alexander’s tomb are ever found, they are not likely to be impressive. The tomb would not have been allowed to sit as a ruin; its stone would have been carted away for re-use, and the site built over. Whatever may still survive of the tomb, Alexander’s body will almost certainly not be discovered inside. It was too famous, too talismanic to have been left in the rubble — or so, at least, the best-known theory about the body’s fate suggests.

Is Alexander in Venice?

In 2004, British researcher Andrew Chugg made headlines by announcing that the body of Alexander was in Venice. Sometime in the fourth century, he claimed, the conqueror’s remains had been secretly transferred from the Soma to the nearby Church of St. Mark. There they remained for a half-millennium or so, until two merchants — mistaking Alexander for St. Mark — brought them to Venice.

No, He Isn’t

Although it’s certainly possible that Alexander’s body was salvaged from its tomb, it’s unlikely, to say the least, that the remains of a pagan king with divine pretensions would have been brought to Alexandria’s most important church. And it’s even less likely that the conqueror’s body was ever mistaken for the evangelist’s. These, after all, were very high-profile corpses. Nobody even knows whether the body beneath the altar of St. Mark’s is the one that was brought from Alexandria. When the basilica was reconstructed in the eleventh century, that body was lost, and only rediscovered — according to tradition — by miraculous intervention. Whomever it once belonged to, the body currently identified as St. Mark has not fared well over the centuries: by the time it were moved to its current location under the altar, little remained but a damaged skull and a few shattered bones. If Alexander’s body is anywhere, it is in Alexandria.

A Few Scenarios

Perhaps it lies in some drowned catacomb. Perhaps it was pulled apart by late antique relic seekers and survives as anonymous bits of bone in a hundred buried mansions. But I prefer to imagine a dramatic end. I imagine the walls of the mausoleum glowing with heat, the marble cracking and calcifying, the sarcophagus melting into puddled glass. Or I picture a wall of water exploding through the door, mirrored for an instant on the face of the crystal coffin; and then, after a burst of elemental fury, the sea receding from an empty room, the golden rings of the emperors scattered over the marble floor.

If you enjoyed this video, please consider supporting toldinstone on Patreon. You might also enjoy my book, Naked Statues, Fat Gladiators, and War Elephants. Thanks for watching.

[SunkenCiv]

Josh Gates dives into ancient ruins and travels across continents chasing the mystery of Alexander the Great's missing tomb. From sunken cities in Egypt to secrets hiding in Venice, the clues are wild! 

About Expedition Unknown: 

Josh Gates investigates the truth behind the world's most iconic and captivating legends. Leaving no stone unturned, his adventures take him around the globe as he immerses himself in the core locales linked to each tale. 

Discovering Alexander the Great's Lost Tomb | Expedition Unknown | Discovery | 29:23 
Discovery | 6.49M subscribers | 1,246,373 views | June 6, 2025

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Josh is on a quest of a lifetime and tries to locate the tomb of Alexander the Great. He visits an excavation site that might hold the secret to the tomb. 

Josh Gates meets with archaeologist Dr. Kiai Papacosta in Alexandria to investigate a specific site believed to be near the lost tomb of Alexander the Great. They explore recent excavations and a Hellenistic tunnel beneath the modern city to uncover evidence of an immense ancient structure. 

Alexander The Great's Tomb Explored By Josh Gates | Expedition Unknown | 9:31 
Discovery UK | 4.92M subscribers | 263,494 views | September 4, 2024

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

He's in Texas if I remember my Cussler correctly.

[SunkenCiv]

Archaeologist Pepi Papakosta is on a mission to find Alexander the Great's lost tomb. Excavating in the center of Alexandria, Egypt, the city Alexander founded 2,300 years ago, she has discovered a rare marble statue of Alexander, along with Greek treasures and secret tunnels. But Pepi's biggest find is an extraordinary discovery even she was not expecting. 

S1, E1 | The Lost Tomb of Alexander the Great 

Archaeologist Pepi Papacosta utilizes ancient manuscripts and modern technology to hunt for the final resting place of Alexander the Great beneath Alexandria. Following the discovery of a significant statue, the team uncovers the ancient royal quarter, investigating tunnels and submerged structures in search of the lost tomb. 

Finding The Lost Tomb of Alexander the Great (Full Episode) | 44:24 
National Geographic | 26.4M subscribers | 2,661,605 views | October 27, 2024

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Alexander the Great was a king at age 20 and conquered most of the ancient world from Greece to India before he died at 33. But where he was buried has remained a mystery for more than 2,300 years. 

Now a Greek archaeological team believes it has found his tomb in Egypt's Western desert near the oasis of Siwa, where legend holds Alexander once consulted an oracle who told him he was a god. 

The Sheik of Siwa calls the faithful to prayer. 

This tiny little oasis village, only an hours drive from Libya has become a site for royalty and greatness... And while the sheik calls the living there are those who are looking for the dead, searching in the ancient ruins of the past. 

They say Alexander the Great is buried here, in the same place where he consulted the oracle of Amun who told him that he was the son of a god. 

Egypt: Alexander the Great's Tomb Discovery | 3:23 
AP Archive | 6.02M subscribers | 158,306 views | July 21, 2015

[SunkenCiv]

😁 Sounds like the movie “National Treasure” lifted their plot in part from Cussler’s “Treasure”.

https://www.cusslerbooks.com/book-display.php?ISBN=1451621019&TITLE=Treasure

[SunkenCiv]

Worth pondering.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Probably.

And of course everyone ripped off H. Rider Haggard.

I salute those authors who gave me many a happy hour of reading.

Even the ones I threw across the room because they did not know the difference between Inca, Maya and Natchez.

[Ken H]

Under the end zone in Giant Stadium.

[SunkenCiv]

🙂😊😁😀😃😆😅😂🤣

[SunkenCiv]

😁

[SunkenCiv]

The original was best, just the right amount of historical background (other than the contents of the Library of Alexandria winding up in a bone-dry cellar well below the Atlantic waterline) and suspension of disbelief, along with the suspense and old-fashioned will-they-won’t-they and having to rescue the broad.

The second one was a miserable wretched smokin’ crap pile. I mean that in the nicest possible way. Some good jokes.

The remaining idea that could work for the third installment is Precolumbian ocean-crossing, perhaps by the Vikings, but of course if they want to go farther afield, the Roman wreck off Brezil could work out, maybe use it but move it, a la Clive Cussler.

https://search.brave.com/search?q=national+treasure+three

national treasure three

National Treasure 3 is currently in active development but remains unconfirmed, with producer Jerry Bruckheimer stating in March 2026 that the project is “coming along quite well” and a script is being written. Director Jon Turteltaub confirmed in August 2026 that the film is happening with the original cast, though the project’s future hinges on Nicolas Cage approving the screenplay and agreeing to return as Ben Gates.

Key details include:

Writer: Ted Elliott (known for Pirates of the Caribbean) is writing the screenplay, which aims to include familiar faces from the previous films.

Status: While Bruckheimer and Turteltaub are optimistic, Cage has previously expressed skepticism, stating in 2024 that “there is no National Treasure 3.”

Timeline: No official release date or production start has been announced, but if filming begins in 2026, a release could potentially occur in 2027 or 2028.

TV Series: The Disney+ series National Treasure: Edge of History is considered canon to the franchise but was canceled after one season.

AI-generated answer. Please verify critical facts.

[lee martell]

“Ashes to ashes
funk to funky
We know Major Tom’s a junkie”

[Ken Regis]

As a kid, whenever I lost something my mother would give this advice:

It’s GOT to be SOMEplace

Where was it when you last had it?

It’ll be in the last place you look.

[jerod]

Most of these tombs were likely dug up and looted shortly after the burial... Let’s face it... If you went to a funeral and they buried somebody with piles of gold and jewels... Wouldn’t you go back to that grave, dig it all up and steal it?

Vast amounts of wealth left in a grave... Seriously? That would be stupid today and it would be stupid back then. The only gravesites where vast amounts of loot are found are gravesites where the people who did the burying didn’t live long enough to return. They were either killed, or died from some calamity.

Same thing with these coin hoards they occasionally find... Do you really think that when they buried that stuff that they didn’t plan to return and get it. They buried it to hide it... Then the Vikings, or whomever was raiding their territory confronted them and asked for the wealth... When they lied and said they didn’t have any... The Vikings killed them.

[Adder]

I'll take He Be Dead for $200, Alex... Alexandria, of course...its like in the name... [cue up Dueling Zithers playing Nile delta blues...]

[texanyankee]

Great video!

[texanyankee]

I need to be more specific, the Natl Geo video with Pepi is a great video.