Archaeologists have found Alexander the Great's bathroom in the palace of the Royal city of Aigai.
Aigai Palace
The Aigai palace, a symbol of antiquity's golden age, played a pivotal role in Alexander the Great's life. It was here that he witnessed his father, King Philip II's assassination, and was crowned king himself at the tender age of 20.
The Aigai palace, located in the ceremonial center of the ancient Macedonian kingdom, is a testament to grandeur. Spanning 15,00 square meters, it is roughly three times the size of the Parthenon. It boasts a courtyard, gated city walls, sanctuaries, temples, palaestra, theater, and tombs, each a testament to the rich history of the palace.
Archaeologists have now been able to uncover the palaestra and the bathroom, a place where young Alexander, perhaps, would have bathed with his childhood companion, Hephaestion. This intimate space offers a unique glimpse into the personal life of the legendary ruler.
The discovery was shown during the final episode of the Bettany Hughes' Treasure of the World series on Channel 4.
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Bathroom of Alexander the Great
There is a huge drain cut into the rock structure and a shared bathroom. The presenter of the episode says that this is where the ruler could have taken a bath with his companions, Hephaestion and other young men who were with him during his campaigns and who squabbled over the empire after he died.
They passed through all these rites of passage and were quite active in wrestling and fighting, having been trained for hunting.
The bedroom of Alexander the Great has not yet been identified. However, all the palace's quarters are just there. The presenter shares that they have not yet entered Alexander the Great's bedroom, though they were able to go into the iconic ruler's bathroom.
Through a painstaking €20 million project spanning 16 years, a team of dedicated archaeologists meticulously restored 1,400 square meters of marble floors, palace colonnades, and banqueting hall mosaics, bringing the grandeur of the Aigai Palace back to life. Their efforts have also unearthed numerous astounding artifacts, further enriching our understanding of this historical site.
Alexander the Great
Alexander the Great was the son of Queen Olympias of Epirus and King Philipp II of Macedonia. He is regarded as one of history's most ambitious military commanders, having made the famous declaration of wanting to be the king of the world.
The ruler commanded an army through the Persian territories across Syria, Egypt, and Asia Minor. He claimed the lands as he moved through these territories. As he trekked through these territories, it was said that he never ended up suffering defeat, making him known as Alexander the Great.
Among his victories, the greatest one was in the Battle of Gaugamela, which is now northern Iraq.
He was a tutee of the esteemed philosopher Aristotle. He then rose to the throne after a bodyguard killed his father during the wedding of his sister Cleopatra.
Alexander built one of the world's largest empires during his reign, stretching from Greece to Egypt and even to the Indian subcontinent. He eventually died of a fever in 323 B.C. in Babylon.
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