Saturday, December 26, 2015
Alexander and Hephaistion side by side
Monday, December 21, 2015
Alexander’s Tomb by Nicholas J. Saunders
The only “trail” we have till now is Andrew Chugg’s suggestion that Alexander may lie in the Basilica of San Marco in
Thursday, December 17, 2015
Petra is revealing precious wall paintings
[Click here to see all the pictures of Little Petra]
Sunday, December 13, 2015
Alexander in Athens
Now, in 338 BC after the Battle of Chaeronea had ended all parties’ uncertainty whether to side up with Philip or with
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Hierapolis, stepchild of Pamukkale
Tourists flock by dozens of busloads to visit the thermal springs of Pamukkale, which in Turkish means “cotton castle,” hardly aware of the existence of Hierapolis. As the spring water is cooling in contact with the air, it leaves behind a thick coat of travertine that sets in the shape of basins cascading downhill. It appears like a giant white scar in the landscape. Visitors loved to wade through these basins, trampling the fragile formation and polluting the mineral waters, with catastrophic results as even hotels were built right on top. Luckily, the government stopped these practices, and hotels have been dismantled while visitors are now generally ushered over wooden boards laid over the inviting basins.
For me, this is the first time I have heard of Hierapolis,
an ancient city half swallowed or integrated by the travertine deposits of Pamukkale. Upon arrival, I first glimpse the many impressive sarcophagi alongside the road, the largest
concentration in
The necropolis I first saw is huge and counts no less than 1200 sarcophagi and tombs built in the shape of mostly Roman houses, but others date from earlier Hellenistic or later Christian eras. I’ve never seen such a large concentration! A city by itself!
Old Hierapolis is a little further down the road, where the Arch of Domitian leans against a
thick round fortification tower. From here, the 14 feet-wide colonnade street,
the so-called Plateia, runs straight ahead for about
Nearby we find the poor remains of the Nympheum
with the adjacent pool, which might be the only testimony of the
Because of the
From down here, I try to take in the site. There is still a lot of excavation work in this large city. As I see no fence or surveillance, many antique artifacts must be simply for the taking. The locals freely swarm out over the site with their embroidered pillowcases, crocheted napkins, postcards, and booklets as if they own the place. In a sense, they do, but I expect stricter control over an archaeological site.
I climb to a higher point among the ruins,
basically to get away from the noisy crowds. I reach the sturdy walls of Philip’s
Martyrium, a church built in de 5th century on the alleged spot
where Apostle Philip was stoned and crucified upside down in 80 AD.
Outside the church runs a corridor where the pilgrims can find a room for the
night. The square Martyrium measures no less than 20 x
Excavations are still ongoing at Hierapolis,
and in
Friday, December 4, 2015
Ecbatana, where Hephaistion died
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
City with no name – yet.
Thursday, November 26, 2015
Conquest and Empire. The Reign of Alexander the Great by A.B. Bosworth
Speaking for myself, I widely use this book as reference material and I’ve never been disappointed by Bosworth’s expert explanations and background research. Everybody wanting to learn more about Alexander than a mere succession of fights and battles should get a hold of this quality reading material.
Monday, November 23, 2015
Water laws, still unchanged after nearly two thousand years
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
The Symposium by Plato
What I find interesting is the general concept of what we call homosexuality today and the intensity of shameless drinking. This is, of course, seen through the eyes of our modern society. True love between men prevailed and was accepted without question, something we should seriously consider when talking about Alexander’s love for Hephaistion. The heavy drinking that could go on for hours is another aspect of ancient life that we should take into account in Alexander’s life. He probably wasn’t drinking more or any less than his companions or his army buddies. Judging facts that happened more than two thousand years ago is extremely hard and I think in this aspect we could be a little more tolerant towards Alexander as a man.
Friday, November 13, 2015
Gordion, a name with a resonance
I find myself in one of the strangest landscapes of
Alexander must have had a very close look at it, but since the ends of the ropes were hidden he could not figure this out. Well, he was not going to give up and certainly didn’t want to lose face in front of his men and the newly conquered citizens. Some claim that Alexander simply pulled the pin securing the yoke to the pole of the cart, thus exposing both ends. A less plausible (but more theatrical) theory is that he simply sliced the knot with a stroke of his sword. It seems that the prophecy announcing that whoever untied the knot would become the king of
Also worth reading The Gordian Knot, a vision.