Researchers have uncovered the bathhouse of the renowned conqueror in the Palace of Aegae. Located in the city of Vergina, near Thessaloniki in northern Greece, this is where Alexander the Great bathed with his favorites over 2,300 years ago.
The Palace of Aegae, a symbol of the golden age of antiquity, witnessed the assassination of King Philip II and the coronation of his 20-year-old son, Alexander of Macedon.
Constructed in the ceremonial center of the ancient Macedonian kingdom, the palace spanned an area of 15,000 square meters, making it three times larger than the Parthenon. Today, visitors can see the towering walls that concealed life within the residence from the outside world, as well as an inner courtyard, temples, shrines, a theater, a gymnasium for boys, known as a palestra, and tombs.
What Archaeologists Discovered in the Palace of Aegae
After 16 years of archaeological excavations costing 20 million euros, researchers have restored 1,400 square meters of the banquet hall’s mosaics, marble flooring, and colonnades, along with uncovering hundreds of valuable artifacts.
It was during these excavations that archaeologists found the bathhouse where a teenage Alexander bathed with his childhood friend, lover, and future second-in-command, Hephaestion.
This discovery is featured in the final episode of the series “Treasures of the World with Bettany Hughes,” which recently aired on Channel 4.
“It’s an extraordinary sight to see Aegae being excavated and restored. There is a massive drainage system carved into the rock and a communal bathhouse. Here, Alexander the Great likely bathed with his companions—his famous favorite Hephaestion and all those young men who traveled with him on his campaigns and later quarreled over his empire after his death,” said series host Bettany Hughes.
The bathhouse where Alexander the Great likely bathed, discovered during the excavations
“They underwent all these initiation rites, were incredibly active in the gymnasium, fought and wrestled. They were trained in hunting… Alexander’s bedroom has not yet been identified. So, I haven’t been in his bedroom, but I have been in his bathhouse,” she added.
The son of King Philip II of Macedon and Queen Olympias of Epirus, Alexander was one of the most ambitious military leaders of all time, famously declaring his desire to be “king of the world.”
Under the guidance of the world-renowned philosopher Aristotle, he ascended to the throne after his father was assassinated by a guard during the wedding of his sister Cleopatra.
What We Know About Alexander the Great
From the beginning of his reign in 336 B.C. until his death 13 years later, Alexander the Great built one of the most powerful empires the world has ever seen. It stretched from modern-day Greece to Egypt and deep into the Indian subcontinent.
Alexander III of Macedon was born in the city of Pella, the capital of ancient Macedonia (now part of Greece), in July 356 B.C.
He led his army through Persian territories in Asia Minor, Syria, and Egypt, claiming rights to these lands. Throughout his campaign in Persian territories, he was never defeated. This earned him the title of Alexander the Great, as reported by the Daily Mail.
His most significant victory came at the Battle of Gaugamela (now northern Iraq) in 331 B.C. After that, he and his soldiers traveled another 17,700 kilometers, founding over 70 cities and creating an empire that spanned three continents.
Alexander the Great died in June 323 B.C. from fever in Babylon. He was buried in Egypt, but historical sources indicate that his body was later moved to prevent vandalism.