Where is Alexander the Great’s tomb, a new Theory

 

Searching for Alexander the Great’s Tomb in Pieria

For more than two thousand years, the question of where Alexander the Great was finally laid to rest has remained one of history’s greatest mysteries. Most historians place his tomb in Egypt, while others suggest Babylon or even more distant locations. But during the research for my historical novel “Adilos Tafos”, “Tracing the Tomb of Alexander the Great”(Kindle Edition, Amazon), I developed a different theory: that his final resting place may be in Macedonia itself, in Pieria, at the foothills of Mount Olympus.

This idea did not come from an official excavation but from a personal search that combined history, folklore, and local traditions. And during that search, I made a discovery in the village of Petra that gave my theory new life.

An Ancient Sanctuary

According to local stories and traditions, an ancient road once led from Petra toward what locals call the “Queen’s Rock.” Along this route, there are accounts of a sanctuary dedicated to Dionysus, the “dying god.” Such a temple could have been built in the 6th or 5th century BC, when the first Macedonians settled in the region.

In my view, this sanctuary could later have taken on a hidden role. During the Roman era, worshippers who honored Alexander as a god might have used the site to pay tribute in secret. If Alexander’s tomb was indeed hidden nearby, this would have been the perfect place to conceal it.

One detail especially captured my attention: the possibility that a sacred olive tree once grew in the sanctuary’s courtyard. Based on scientific estimates, if such a tree had survived until today, it would measure around 14 to 17 meters in circumference. The survival of such a tree seemed unlikely until I visited Petra myself.

The Olive Tree of Petra

During my visit, I found an enormous olive tree in a local grove, with a trunk measuring about 14.2 meters around. Although old and partly hollow, the tree was still alive, standing as a striking monument to time itself.

This discovery matched perfectly with the idea I had been building for my novel. Even more surprising, local residents, along with the head of the community, recalled stories passed down from earlier generations about ruins of an ancient temple in the same area. Oral history and physical evidence seemed to point in the same direction.

A Living Witness

The olive tree in Petra is no ordinary tree. With its massive size, it ranks among the largest olive trees in Greece and perhaps even in the world. Whether or not it can be directly linked to the sanctuary or to Alexander himself, its presence strengthens the case for Pieria as a place worth investigating further.

The Mystery Continues

Of course, this remains a personal theory, not proven archaeology. But the survival of such an ancient tree combined with the stories of a forgotten sanctuary offers new reasons to consider Pieria in the long-running mystery of Alexander’s tomb.

Perhaps the answer does not lie in faraway lands after all, but closer to his birthplace, in the shadow of Mount Olympus. And maybe, in the village of Petra, an ancient olive tree still stands as a silent witness to one of history’s greatest secrets.