Plato’s Grave in Athens

According to the Greek Reporter, the Italian archaeologist Graziano Ranocchia located the site of Plato’s grave in the garden of his Academy in Athens near the sacred shrine to the Muses. 

[The archaeological site of Plato’s academy. Credit: Tomisti, CC BY-SA 3.0/Wikipedia]

This discovery is based on the latest deciphering of a carbonized papyrus from Herculaneum (see: Reading Papyrus scrolls from Herculaneum). The scroll revealed the history of the Academy by Philodemus of Gadara, a poet and philosopher who lived in Herculaneum. 

Plato's Academy included thinkers such as Theaetetus of Sunium (from Cape Sounion), Archytas of Tarentum, a Pythagorean scientist and philosopher, Leodamas of Thasos and Neocleides, both Greek mathematicians. 

The garden where Plato decided to establish his Academia was originally a sacred grove of olive trees dedicated to Athena, appropriately the goddess of wisdom, situated outside Athens’ city walls. 

Although Plato’s grave site has been established, nothing is said about whatever remains. Is there a tombstone or any kind of marker, something for us to see? After all, the garden is a large area. 

Wikipedia writes that “The site of the Academy is located near Colonus, approximately, 1.5 km north of Athens' Dipylon gates. The site was rediscovered in the 20th century, in modern Akademia Platonos neighbourhood; considerable excavation has been accomplished.” ... “the Peristyle Building (4th century BC), which is perhaps the only major building that belonged to the actual Academy of Plato”.

The modern Academy of Athens is Greece’s National Academy, established in 1926 based on the same principles as the ancient Academy of Plato. The main building in Greek neoclassical style is a landmark in the city and a clear reminder of ancient Greece.

Side and the restored Temple of Athena

The iconic picture of Side is the white marble remains of the Temple of Apollo, close to the harbor (see: Side didn’t put up any resistance to Alexander). For many years, it was thought to be the only temple in the area. 

The city had two major gods, Apollo and Athena, but only the Temple of Apollo was known so far. It was assumed that the Temple of Athena had to stand nearby, and recent excavations, some of which had to be carried out on private properties, have finally revealed its layout next to the Temple of Apollo. 

[Picture from Daily Sabagh]

Remains of the original columns surfaced and were used in the restoration of the sanctuary. The project was successfully completed in November 2024. 

The temples of Apollo and Athena are again visible, standing side by side, a rare occurrence in the ancient world, although not unique. At Side, Apollo was closely associated with the city’s name, while Athena was considered to be the chief goddess assuring the prosperity of trade in the harbor. 

The restoration of the Temple of Athena clearly emphasizes the historical and religious significance of ancient Side. 

To provide a richer understanding of the city’s importance, plans exist to undertake the restoration of the shiny Temple of Apollo that suffered from exposure to all weather conditions over the past centuries. A very tempting prospect! 

Latest news from Patara

Excavations in Patara are still ongoing, making it one of those places that offer repeated surprises each time we visit. 

My first visit dates from 2007 (see: Wonderful Patara!) when I walked in and along part of the city’s aqueduct. By 2014, the Bouleuterion had been entirely cleared and opened to the lucky tourists (see: The world’s first parliament building). Next attention went to Patara’s lighthouse, which was built by Emperor Nero in 64 AD (see: Restoration plans for the lighthouse of Patara). 

Recently, archaeologists have located a row of 7-8 shops in the commercial area next to the Arch of Mettius Modestus, which fascinated me during my first visit. So far, one shop and the adjacent Stoa have been cleared, revealing some marble panels and coins. 

[Picture from Anatolian Archaeology]

The city gate was actually constructed around 100 AD to honor the first governor-general of Lycia and Pamphylia, administrator of Patara, C. Trebonius Proculus Mettius Modestus.  With its three arches, it is rather unique as the top of the construction holds a section of the aqueduct that brought water to Patara from a source some 22 kilometers away. The Roman architects were very imaginative indeed. 

Serious excavation plans in Termessos

Back in 2018, I shared the news about the restoration of Termessos’ city walls and the clearing of the ancient road that connected the city to ancient Attaleia (modern Antalya). 

Presently, more serious excavation works are being planned in Termessos. For a start, a monumental tomb that once held several marble sarcophagi will be pieced together using the scattered and now numbered blocks lying around. Apparently, all the original stones have been listed. Unfortunately, the Hurriyet Daily News does not disclose its location. 

I found the choice the archaeologists made to start with the monumental tomb quite surprising, ignoring the more obvious remains of the Theatre, the Temple of Hadrian, the Temple of Artemis, the Bouleuterion, the Agora, and other recognizable constructions. 

Next excavations will, however, focus on the Gate of Hadrian, hopefully extending to the nearby Temple of Artemis from the 2^nd century BC. Other necropolises, the aqueducts, and cisterns may also be included in this project. 

Until now, only the exceptional remains of the Tomb of Alcetas have been identified. This general, brother of Perdiccas, fought with Alexander in India, and died here in Termessos in 319 BC during the siege of the city in the War of the Diadochi. 

The beauty and challenge of Termessos is that its remains have been left mostly untouched and protected as part of the National Park of Güllük Dagi, with its rich diversity of fauna and flora.

New Archaeological Museum in Antalya

The Archaeological Museum in Antalya has been closed to visitors as of 16 July 2025. A recent seismic analysis has revealed that the existing building is a high-risk structure. This led the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to take drastic measures to tear down the existing building and replace it with a new earthquake-resistant construction. 

[The project image of the new Antalya Archaeology Museum, which will be built

on the same site. (IHA Photo)]

It must have been a gigantic task to pack and remove the extensive collection of statues, reliefs, sarcophagi, coins, and other artifacts to their temporary storage units on the premises. 

If all goes according to plan, the Museum is expected to reopen by the end of 2026 with larger exhibition space and state-of-the-art conservation facilities. An ambitious deadline! 

The museum’s conservation and restoration work will not be interrupted and will continue elsewhere on the property. 

This kind of extensive restoration and modernization project is not limited to Antalya, though. Another 37 museums affiliated with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in Turkey will shut down. 

The country is prone to earthquakes, and sooner or later, the structures show signs of serious degradation. The most recent example is the strong earthquake of February 2023 that devastated so many buildings in southeastern Turkey and damaged several museums as well. 

Aging infrastructure is another issue impacting several major institutions such as the Archaeological Museums of Istanbul, the Fethiye Museum in Mugla, the Museum of Aphrodisias in Aydin, and the Archaeology Museum of Gaziantep. In central Anatolia, the Museums of Nevsehir, Urgup, and Nigde are all undergoing reinforcement work. Last but not least, redesigning the layout and display of the exhibited artworks is another issue. 

I am sharing hereafter a list of the 37 museums involved, including their dates of closure and reasons for repair as published in Türkiye Today.

List of closed museums in Türkiye   (As of July 2025)

1.           Gaziantep Archaeology Museum
(Maintenance and Repair – Feb. 6, 2023)

2.           Hatay Archaeology Museum
(Maintenance and Repair – Feb. 6, 2023)

3.           Kilis Alaeddin Yavasca Museum
(Concert Hall – Restoration – Feb. 6, 2023)

4.           Malatya Museum
(Maintenance and Repair – Feb. 6, 2023)

5.           Malatya Beskonaklar Ethnography Museum
(Maintenance and Repair – Feb. 6, 2023)

6.           Mugla Fethiye Museum
(Structural Reinforcement – March 4, 2023)

7.           Istanbul Great Palace Mosaics Museum
(Restoration – April 9, 2023)

8.           Istanbul Tiled Kiosk Museum (Cinili Kosk)
(Exhibition and Layout Renewal – April 19, 2023)

9.           Mugla Museum
(Reinforcement and Restoration – June 22, 2023)

10.        Eregli Museum
(Reinforcement – July 5, 2023)

11.        Nevsehir Museum
(Reinforcement – Aug. 31, 2023)

12.        Bitlis Ethnography Museum
(Maintenance and Repair – Sept. 20, 2023)

13.        Yozgat Museum
(Maintenance and Repair – Dec. 11, 2023)

14.        Nigde Museum
(Reinforcement – Dec. 11, 2023)

15.        Urgup Museum
(Reinforcement – Dec. 11, 2023)

16.        Aphrodisias Museum
(Reinforcement – Jan.11, 2024)

17.        Konuralp Museum
(Reinforcement – Jan. 11, 2024)

18.        Kutahya Museum
(New Building Construction – Feb. 2, 2024)

19.        Galata Mevlevihane Museum
(Maintenance and Repair – May 13, 2024)

20.        Hazeranlar Mansion (Amasya)
(Restoration & Exhibition Arrangement – Nov. 11, 2024)

21.        Lycia Civilizations Museum (Demre, Antalya)
(Exhibition, Layout & Landscaping — Feb 17, 2025)

22.        Istanbul Archaeological Museums
(Classical Building Ground Floor, Annex, and North Wing—Reinforcement/Restoration – April 19, 2023)

23.        Mersin Anamur Museum
(General Reinforcement – Dec. 27, 2012)

24.        Isparta Museum
(Repair & Landscaping – Aug. 28, 2014)

25.        Elazig Museum
(Reinforcement – Aug. 18, 2016)

26.        Diyarbakir Silvan Ataturk House Museum
(General Repair – Dec. 24, 2018)

27.        Bursa Yenisehir Semaki House Museum
(Restoration – Dec. 16, 2019)

28.        Izmir Tire Museum
(Reinforcement – June 22, 2020)

29.        Istanbul Museum of the Ancient Orient (Eski Sark Eserleri Muzesi)
(Exhibition and Layout Renewal – May 12, 2022)

30.        Adana Suleyman Tower (Suleyman Kulesi)
(Landscaping – May 26, 2022)

31.        Kastamonu Liva Pasha Mansion Ethnography Museum
(Restoration – Oct. 20, 2022)

32.        Adiyaman Museum
(Maintenance/Repair – Feb. 6, 2023)

33.        Kars Museum (Ethnographic Hall)
(Exhibition Preparation – March 4, 2025)

34.        Fethiye Museum (Second Entry)
(Restoration – April 5, 2025)

35.        Antalya Museum
(New Building Construction & Collection Relocation – July 16, 2025)

36.        Adnan Menderes Democracy Museum
(Maintenance and Repair – July 7, 2025)

37.                Ahlat Museum
(Landscaping – July 21, 2025)

[Mosaic from the Temple of Apollo, Letoon

Original at the Museum of Fethiye]

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism has not provided specific reopening dates for most of these institutions. Instead, they have left it rather vague, using words such as “until the completion of works”.

Visit ancient cities in Turkey by night

As of this year, 2025, major archaeological sites remain accessible until late in the evening, often after sunset. The idea is for tourists to avoid excessive daytime temperatures. These late opening hours, which will also apply to several museums, will apply until 1 October 2025. 

I can’t help wondering how safe such nighttime visits will be. Museums should not be a problem, but ancient sites are another issue. I can imagine admiring the temples, theaters, and statuary lit by floodlights, although with some cautiousness, but walking over uneven pavement may be quite hazardous. 

An excellent example is, for instance, Mount Nemrud, which will open already at 4 a.m. and close at 9 p.m. Watching the sunrise or sunset from up there is a unique and unforgettable experience. But climbing the high-stepped stairs to the monument is a challenge by daytime, so much more so by dawn or dwindling light! 

Anyway, for the brave ones or daredevils, I am sharing the sites and museums that offer extended variable visiting hours. 

Closing times for archaeological sites and museums in 2025:

Istanbul
Galata Tower – 11 p.m.
Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum – 10 p.m.
Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum – 10 p.m.
Archaeology Museums (excluding closed sections) – 10 p.m.

Adiyaman
Nemrud – 4 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Ankara
Museum of Anatolian Civilizations – 9 p.m.
Ethnography Museum – 9 p.m.

Antalya
Antalya Museum – 10 p.m.
Alanya Museum – 10 p.m.
Aspendos – 10 p.m.
Patara – 10 p.m.
Side – 10 p.m.
Nekropol Museum – 10 p.m. 

Aydin

Didyma – 9 p.m.

Denizli
Hierapolis – 11 p.m.

Erzurum

Erzurum Museum – 9 p.m.

Gaziantep
Zeugma Mosaic Museum – 9 p.m.

Izmir
Ephesos – 11 p.m. (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday)
Museum Izmir Culture and Arts Factory – 9 p.m.

Mugla
Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology – 10 p.m.

Nevsehir - Cappadocia
Zelve-Pasa Baglari – 9 p.m.
Derinkuyu Underground City – 9 p.m.
Kaymakli Underground City – 9 p.m.
Ozkonak Underground City – 9 p.m.

Samsun
Samsun Museum – 10 p.m.

Sanliurfa
SanliUrfa Museum – 9 p.m.
Haleplibahce Mosaic Museum – 9 p.m.

A still sealed Etruscan tomb

A sealed and thus unlooted tomb always calls for a celebration. This time, our attention goes to an Etruscan tomb from the 7^th century BC. Although well before Alexander’s days, we should keep in mind that time passed more slowly then. Life in the 7^th century BC was not so different from what it was 300 years later. 

The discovery was made in San Giuliano, some 70 kilometers northwest of Rome. 

[Picture from Popular Mechanics. Hans-Georg Roth//Getty Images]

Archaeological excavations have exposed about 600 tombs since 2016, but all had been looted at one time or another. Moreover, no other tomb of this age has ever been excavated using modern techniques. 

Inside this sealed tomb, archaeologists uncovered four skeletons, possibly two couples, resting on carved stone beds. They were surrounded by at least 100 grave goods, varying from ceramic vases and iron weapons to bronze and silver ornaments. Further study and analysis will eventually provide more detailed information. 

Most of Etruscan history remains shrouded in mystery. The Etruscans built their fortune from their extensive trade with the Celts in the north and Magna Graecia in the south. Their richly decorated and furnished tombs are proof of their success. They left us practically no literature, and we have to rely on second-hand reports and comments by Greek and Latin authors. 

Under what circumstances the Etruscans were incorporated into the Roman Empire towards the end of the 4^th century BC is still unclear. The present settlement somehow survived the Roman occupation and medieval knighthood, to be finally abandoned towards 1300 AD.

Another Macedonian tomb

The large number of tombs that dot ancient Macedonia never ceases to amaze me. They do not immediately stand out, but driving around on local roads in the wider area of Pella and Vergina (ancient Aegae), they appear as solitary structures or ruins. Occasionally, their names are announced on promising road signs pointing you to mysterious sites. 

Most visitors flock to the Great Tumulus housing the Tomb of Philip II in Vergina, along with the Tomb of Persephone (based on her frescoed depiction on the wall), and the Tomb of the Prince, attributed to Alexander IV. 

[Picture of the Abduction of Persephone from The Maritime Explorer]

The large necropolis to the east of the city and the many tombs outside the ancient city walls are generally ignored. In this area, it is nearly impossible to miss other beautiful examples like the Rhomaios Tomb, the Tomb of Eurydice (Alexander’s grandmother), the Macedonian Tomb on the Bloukas Farm, or a series of tombs on the Bella Farm (see: There is more to Aegae than the Royal Palace and the Great Tumulus). These tombs are rarely open to the public.  

Excavations are still ongoing, and more than one thousand tombs have been uncovered at Pella alone since 2000. They often carry the names of Macedonian families, and many monuments still display their vivid original colors. 

Closer to Náousa  (some 50 kilometers east of Pella), the Tomb of the Judgment, the Tomb of the Palmettos, the Tomb of Lyson and Kallikles, and the neglected Tomb of Kinch are worth visiting if the opportunity arises (see: Alexander's schooling at Mieza. Visit of the surrounding area). These tombs are not always open to the public.

Earlier this year (2025), the Tomb of the Philosophers, situated in the eastern necropolis of Pella, made headlines. The burial chamber measures 4.40x1.95 meters and is three meters high. It dates from around 300 BC and shows frescoes of six unnamed philosophers that document the richness of Pella’s intellectual development and cultural life at the time, when philosophy and sciences were a common good. 

The frescoed figures, who gave their name to the burial site, call for our attention. The most intriguing picture is that of a man wearing a red himation (kind of mantle), holding a wooden rod, pointing at a celestial globe, indicating that he might be a philosopher interested in astronomy. The theme is likely influenced by Aristotle’s teachings and other works written by philosophers and poets living at the Macedonian Court of Antigonus II Gonatas in the 3rd century BC. 

On the wall to his right, a bearded man is studying a papyrus scroll. The left wall depicts another wreathed, bearded ‘philosopher’. Above them are scenes of horsemen and grave steles inspired by Homeric funeral games. 

Excavations have revealed that the grave was probably built for a family. It contained the remains of three individuals: a man in his forties, a woman in her thirties, and an infant. The presence of this elaborate decoration with symbolic elements indicates that the family belonged to the higher social elite of Pella. The man could well have been a scholar or an astronomer who cared for his family after their death. 

The tomb’s frescoes are of high quality, giving a telling insight into the personal identity and the cultural values of the deceased. What’s more, the elements testify to the vibrant intellectual and artistic level that was reached in Pella some one hundred years after the death of Alexander. 

[Pictures of the Philosopher's Tomb from the Teacher Curator]

What Alexander really looked like.

Over the centuries, endless theories have circulated about the real appearance of Alexander. Statues, busts, paintings, and sketches have depicted Alexander as imagined by their creators, just as ancient and modern authors have described their version of Alexander. 

It is inevitable since Alexander became a legend during his lifetime. The legend took a life of its own, and still does today. 

[Picture from Wordscene]

I have just read an article on the Greek Reporter, “Beyond the Busts: Unveiling Alexander the Great’s True Face” by Paula Tsoni.  A very promising title that misleads the reader in many ways. The most absurd theory is the one quoted towards the end, reading: 

"A fresco depicting a hunt scene at the tomb of Philip II, Alexander’s father, at the archaeological site of Aegae is the only known surviving depiction of Alexander produced during his lifetime in the 330s BC."      …

"A most disruptive theory is proposed by Greek-French academic Byzantinologist Helene Glykatzi-Ahrweiler, who has herself been identified by the 2008 show Great Greeks as one of the 100 greatest Greeks of all time. In her 2018 book published by Gutenberg, the famous scholar suggests that the tomb in Aegae is, in fact, Alexander’s, and not his father’s. This would explain why the young king was depicted in the famous fresco inside that tomb."

First of all, it has been clearly demonstrated that the tomb in Vergina, ancient Aegae, belongs to Philip II and not to Alexander, who was entombed in ancient Alexandria. The latest confirmation of Philip’s presence in the Vergina tomb has been established by studying the adjacent tomb that turned out to be Cynane’s, Philip’s daughter (see: Cynane buried next to her father, Philip II). 

Secondly, stating that the hunting scene in Philip’s tomb (which is unclear) is “the only known surviving depiction of Alexander” is not correct. It has been established that the ivory heads recovered from a Macedonian funerary couch in Vergina belong to Philip and Alexander. Greek archaeologists agree that the Alexander head is the only one made during Alexander’s lifetime. 

There have been repeated tentative efforts to recreate the Macedonian King’s face, even showing occasional look-alikes. A lot of wishful thinking, no doubt, but not very realistic. 

The question about Alexander’s real face already arose in 2016, when I wrote about a hoard found at Mir Zakah in north-eastern Afghanistan (see: Alexander’s real face). The hoard had been hidden in a well for over two thousand years and contained an estimated 550,000 coins. One of them showed Alexander with wide-open eyes, a crooked nose, and wild curls on the obverse and a tiptoeing elephant on the reverse. This is Alexander as he saw himself - invulnerable, verging on godhood, immortalized in the moment of his triumph after his battle against Porus on the Hydaspes in India in 326 BC. 

Osmund Bopearachchi was the first to recognize the medallion, and together with Frank Holt, he wrote a book on the subject, “The Alexander Medallion, Exploring the Origins of a Unique Artefact.” This information is ignored by or unknown to the eminent Greek-French academic Byzantinologist Helene Glykatzi-Ahrweiler, used by the Greek Reporter!

[Picture of the coin is from The Hindu]