Young Alexander Hunts a Lion
Pella, Greece
January 22, 2009
Pella, Greece
January 22, 2009
Pella is Alexander the Great’s birthplace and the former capital of the Macedonia. Serious excavations of the ruins only began in 1957 and even today they’ve barely scratched the surface (literally). A few years ago a local farmer stumbled upon a massive underground tomb that’s believed to be the largest ever to be found in Greece. Goodness knows what else is under there. What’s visible on top is limited but interesting nonetheless. Pella was laid out on a formal grid system surrounding a central Agora. Along many of the dead straight streets are remains of the complex water and sewage system built in the 2nd Century BC. As impressive as the plumbing is, the big draw are the mosaics that once graced the floors of the palace and rich family homes. Several have been left in situ but this pebble mosaic (photo) of a young Alexander hunting a lion hangs in the small new museum on site.
