Aigai

Αιγές

Greece · Central Macedonia, Imathia

Ancient cityExcavation ongoingUNESCO · 1996
Approximate period1,100 BCE — 300 CEIron Age–Roman period; approximate period of use of the excavated necropolis See on the map ↓

In brief

Aigai is the former capital of the Kingdom of Macedonia. Its excavated palace, theatre, sanctuaries and extensive necropolis document the traditions of government and burial in Macedonian society.

What was found?

  • 1Monumental royal palace

    An administrative building distinguished by its large courtyard, mosaics and painted plasterwork. It documents the power and monumental architecture of the Macedonian kingdom.

  • 2Tomb attributed to Philippos II

    One of the royal tombs found unlooted in the Great Tumulus. The valuable objects in the tomb, which researchers attribute to Philippos II, illustrate the funerary furnishings of the Macedonian elite.

  • 3Ancient theater

    A theater within an architectural arrangement connected to the palace. It reveals the spatial relationship between cultural activities and royal administration.

  • 4Imported grave goods

    Pottery from Athens, Korinthos and Eastern Ionia, and glass vessels from Rhodes and Phoenicia, were found in the graves. These are concrete traces of Aigai's extensive trading connections.

What does it point to?

The palace and rich graves show that royal power was visible in both public buildings and funerary practices. Imported vessels indicate that Aigai established connections with different production centers.

What did it teach us?

  1. The discovery of the royal tombs strengthened the identification of the remains around Vergina as the ancient capital Aigai.
  2. Unlooted tombs offered an opportunity to study royal funerary objects together.
  3. Imported vessels documented Aigai's connections with production centers in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.

Images

Aigai Antik Kenti 01
Ferit BAYCUMAN · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Record

Culture
Ancient Macedonia
Coordinates
40.4714°, 22.3183°

Sources

  1. whc.unesco.org
  2. culturalegnatia.culture.gov.gr
  3. whc.unesco.org

Nearby excavations


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12.000

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