focus(); function Print_doc() { print(); } //--> The archaeological site of Vergina

Archaeological site of Vergina

The archaeological site of Vergina is located near the village Vergina and West of the village Palatitsa, and the archaeological findings of that site have proved the connection of that area with the first capital of the ancient Macedonian kingdom, Aiges. Until 1950 the historians assumed that ancient Aiges was the town of Edessa, which is far NW of Vergina. Even though the first excavations of Vergina (1860 by Heuzey) had revealed a luxurious ancient palace, the historians assumed that the archaeological site was ancient Valla. In 1968 the English historian N.G.L.Hammond supported the opinion that ancient Aiges was not Edessa, and proposed as Aiges' location, the area near Vergina where the ancient palace was found. 10 years later M.Andronikos arrived to the same conclusion with the study of his findings. Below you will some findings from the specific site, that have inscriptions written on them (Click on each image to view an enlarged version of it):

In the ancient palace of Vergina the most important room was the round room (Tholos) where the Macedonian throne was found. In that room M.Andronikos found (1966) an inscription with the Greek words meaning father Hercules (the mythical ancestor of the Macedonian kings).

Near to the palace is the ancient theatre, where Philippos II was murdered by Pausanias, and where Alexander the Great was announced a king. Northern of the theatre, an ancient temple was excavated (temple of Efkleia). There another inscription was found with the Greek words meaning "from Evridiki of Sirra to Efkleia". Evridiki of Sirra was the mother of Philippos II and Efkleia was a name that often accompanied the name of godess Artemis. That inscription was on the base of a statue that was offered to godess Efkleia by Philippos' mother (around 360 BC).

Also a second finding referring to Evridiki was found in Vergina. The archaeologists has found the head and the base of a marble statue of Evridiki. On the base of the statue we can find the same inscription () in Greek characters, of course, meaning that this statue was also offered to godess Efkleia by Evridiki.

Finally, near the ancient palace the excavations of Heuzey (1860) and K.A. Romaios (1938) revealled a number of Macedonian tombs. The excavations of the palace ended in 1974.

The arceological site of Vergina-Megali Toumba.

Updated 5 May 1998