Macedonia

Vergina

A highly important ancient city, certainly to be identified with Aegae, the ancient capital of the kingdom of lower Macedonia, spreads over the low hills in the Northern slopes of the Pierian range, between the modern villages of Palatitsia and Vergina. This city was the most important urban center in the region until the 4th c. BC. Here were to be found the ancestral sanctuaries of the Macedonians, and the palaces and the tombs (with their famous treasures) of the Argead dynasty, which traced its origins to the mythical hero Herakles and gave Greek history its most captivating figure: Alexander the Great. 

This began our Macedonia stretch of the trip. Only ruins remained of this palace. You can see the plans and an image of what the palace would have looked like. Here the king would host massive banquets, essentially showing off his greatness. Macedonian history contrasts that of Greek culture in several ways. In Macedonia, women had more power than in Greece, whereas in Athens women's highest honor would be to remain "invisible" from the public eye; in Macedonia women regularly went out in public.

 Near the palace is a circular area that was once a theater.

During the summer of 1982 the first remains of the ancient theater of Vergina were brought to light. In the following years the excavation work completely unearthed the great monument. The theater was very similar to the neighboring theater, both topographically and functionally.

The description at the site explains the function and structure of the theater: "The auditorium (koilon), which accommodated the spectators, apart from some peculiarities, forms the characteristic big horseshoe. The skene was situated on its northern side. The internal space of the horseshoe is occupied by the orchestra, the place of action for the actors and chorus. The orchestra is a wide area with its center designated by the stone base of the thymele, an altar in honor of Dionysus. No traces of constructed floor were found inside the orchestra, while its circular outline is clearly defined by the singular row of stone seats and the stone water channel (reithro). This water-channel carried the rain water outside the theater, to the northwest."

"The horseshoe form of the auditorium closes to the north side with the rectangular buildings of the skene. To the east and west of the structure of the skene two lateral entrances to the orchestra are formed: the east and the west parodoi of the theater. In reality these paradoi coincide with the outermost border of the symmetrically rounded auditorium, which in turn is constructed in accordance with morphological nature of the site. The auditorium of the theater, the place where spectators sat is shaped in the form dictated by the nature of the site, in specific higher to the eastern side and lower to the western. It is hard to accurately define the time of construction of the theater of Vergina. The observation of its close relationship with the palace appears to reflect reality. It is highly probable that the two buildings were designed as one unit and as such they were constructed in the second half of the 4th century BC."

Museum at Vergina

The museum at Vergina was one of the most spectacular of all the things we saw in Greece. Its subterranean construction, essentially an earth mound which surrounds the original temple in its original location adds to the aesthetic splendor of this museum; no other museum was this this original in construction nor had such an awesome atmospheric effect. Inside was dark and gave the feeling of being truly underground. Most impressive was the display of what some believe to be the tomb of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great! In addition were weapons, clothing, and armor that may have belonged to Philip II. Being in proximity to things which hypothetically may have been used by one of the greatest leaders in Hellenistic military history was an experience rivaled by no other. And the thought that this may have even been his final resting place? Spellbinding! Unfortunately, pictures were not allowed inside, but you can see images and get more information on the museum at Vergina here.