Caracalla and the Mystery of the Sema (215 AD)
The search for the tomb of Alexander the Great often focuses on where it was, but perhaps the more important question is when the embalmed body disappeared. According to ancient sources, the last confirmed contact with the body occurred in 215 AD by Caracalla, an event closely tied to the body’s disappearance from history.
Caracalla’s Alexander Cult
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Caracalla ruled Rome from 198–217 AD and was deeply obsessed with Alexander the Great. His “Alexander worship” was more than admiration—it was a political and spiritual strategy, leading him to:
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Reorganize the Roman army after the Macedonian phalanx.
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Create a special division of 16,000 men, the “Phalanx of Alexander,” equipped with sarissas, linen helmets, and armor, reviving 4th century BC warfare techniques.[1][2]
Formed in 214 AD and formally integrated into the Roman legions by 221 AD, this phalanx reflects not only military strategy but also Caracalla’s belief that he was the incarnation of Alexander.
The Journey to Egypt and the Visit to the Sema
Caracalla’s visit to Alexandria in 215 AD marked a turning point. According to Herodian and Cassius Dio, he:
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Paid homage to Alexander the Great’s body at the “Sema,” removing personal items for ritual purposes.
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Completed a concealment process that had begun under the reign of Septimius Severus, safeguarding the body from public view.[3]
The Case of Serenus Sammonicus
The concealment had immediate consequences for Serenus Sammonicus. He was condemned and executed in 212 AD for violating orders given by both Caracalla and his father, Septimius Severus, since 199 AD regarding access to the crypt under the Serapeum where Alexander’s body had been placed.
This action demonstrates the significance Caracalla attributed to the sanctity of Alexander’s remains and the rituals for their secure preservation.[4] Immediately afterward, a massacre of several Alexandrians followed.[5]
Historical Gap and Open Questions
After 215 AD, references to the body vanish. The decline of the Sema during the 4th century[6] leaves only monumental traces. From that moment on, no historian confirms contact with the body.
Could the disappearance of Alexander’s body be directly linked to Caracalla’s ideological and strategic actions?
While not proof, this historical hypothesis inspires further investigation and has fueled fictional accounts, including my novel The Invisible Tomb.[7]
Conclusion
The last confirmed contact with Alexander the Great’s body was in 215 AD, during Caracalla’s visit. After that, the sources fall silent.
History does not offer certainties, only a mystery linking:
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An emperor obsessed with Alexander
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Military and political strategy
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An archaeological and historiographical gap
And the question remains: Where did the body go? Or was the crucial issue when it vanished?
References
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Herodian, History of the Roman Empire, Book IV.
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Cassius Dio, Roman History, Book LXXIX.
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Philo of Alexandria, Legatio ad Gaium, c. 40–41.
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Historia Augusta, Life of Caracalla, 17–18.
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Historia Augusta, Life of Caracalla, 19.
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Lane Fox, Robin, Alexander the Great, Penguin Books, 2004, pp. 795–800.
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Prokopis, Ioannis, The Invisible Tomb, Amazon Kindle, 2025.
Engagement & Teaser:
The mystery continues… In the next article, we will examine possible routes of Alexander’s body after the Sema and the role of Macedonia in its historical fate.
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