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Pella
Pella

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Where in the world

Greece

The site

Pella was the capital of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon, founded around the start of the 4th century BCE and rising to become the largest and richest city in Macedonia. It was the birthplace of Philip II and of his son Alexander the Great. The Romans sacked Pella in 168 BCE during the Third Macedonian War, and the city, eclipsed by nearby Thessalonica, slipped into long decline.

Field notes

civilizations
GreekHellenistic
types
City
occupied
400 BCE — 168 BCE
country
Greece
elevation
38 m above sea level

Notable finds

Renowned pieces unearthed at Pella — and where they are today

Stag Hunt Mosaicmosaic
Stag Hunt Mosaic▸Archaeological Museum of Pella

Figures of this place

Laid to rest, born or died at Pella

Alexander the Great✶
Alexander the Greatborn hereking of Macedonia and conqueror of Achaemenid Persia (356–323 BC)
Herodotus†
Herodotusdied hereGreek historian and geographer (c.484–c.425 BC)
Euripides†
Euripidesdied hereClassical Athenian playwright
Lysimachus✶
Lysimachusborn hereMacedonian officer, one of Alexander's successor kings
Perseus of Macedon✶
Perseus of Macedonborn hereKing of Macedonia from 179 to 168 BC
Hephaestion✶
Hephaestionborn hereMacedonian nobleman and general, best friend of Alexander the Great (c. 356–324 BC)
Antigonus II Gonatas†
Antigonus II Gonatasdied hereking of Macedonia
Posidippus✶
Posidippusborn hereGreek epigrammatist and poet (c.310–c.240 BC)

Chronicle

What happened at Pella

  1. 345 BCEPeace of Philocrates

Nearby sites

Vergina ~35 km
Vergina Greece
Dodona ~200 km
Dodona Greece
Butrint ~240 km
Butrint Albania
Delphi ~253 km
Delphi Greece
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