1 00:00:01,867 --> 00:00:04,634 NARRATOR: Egypt, the land of pyramids, 2 00:00:05,700 --> 00:00:11,467 and the Valley of the Kings, grand tombs for great pharaohs. 3 00:00:11,467 --> 00:00:14,467 Hundreds of royal mummies are discovered here, 4 00:00:14,467 --> 00:00:18,467 but the body of one iconic ruler is missing -- 5 00:00:18,533 --> 00:00:22,867 Alexander the Great, conqueror of ancient Egypt. 6 00:00:22,867 --> 00:00:27,266 Alexander the Great is a name who rings through history. 7 00:00:27,333 --> 00:00:29,367 NARRATOR: One of the world's most successful 8 00:00:29,433 --> 00:00:30,000 military commanders. 9 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:30,734 military commanders. 10 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:33,166 Worshipped as a god. 11 00:00:33,166 --> 00:00:36,066 NARRATOR: Now, explorers are on a mission... 12 00:00:36,066 --> 00:00:37,867 Wow. 13 00:00:37,867 --> 00:00:40,367 ...to find the lost tomb of Alexander. 14 00:00:43,266 --> 00:00:45,700 Where is Alexander buried? 15 00:00:45,700 --> 00:00:48,166 What does his tomb look like? 16 00:00:48,233 --> 00:00:50,467 And how was he lost to history? 17 00:00:50,467 --> 00:00:52,634 ARTO: Finding his tomb would be one of 18 00:00:52,734 --> 00:00:55,533 the most incredible and earth-shattering 19 00:00:55,533 --> 00:00:57,900 archeological discoveries ever. 20 00:01:00,967 --> 00:01:03,000 NARRATOR: To solve these mysteries, 21 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:05,900 we unearth millennia-old tombs, 22 00:01:07,367 --> 00:01:10,066 we blow apart ancient structures, 23 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:15,867 digitally reconstruct Alexander's lost tomb 24 00:01:15,867 --> 00:01:18,233 and his magnificent mausoleum 25 00:01:19,634 --> 00:01:21,867 to investigate one of history's most 26 00:01:21,867 --> 00:01:23,467 enduring mysteries, 27 00:01:25,367 --> 00:01:29,467 the hunt for the lost tomb of Alexander the Great. 28 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:39,734 Alexandria, Egypt, 29 00:01:39,800 --> 00:01:43,634 founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BCE. 30 00:01:44,867 --> 00:01:48,967 He is one of the most celebrated names in all history 31 00:01:48,967 --> 00:01:50,266 and wages one of the most 32 00:01:50,266 --> 00:01:54,467 successful military campaigns of all time. 33 00:01:54,467 --> 00:01:58,066 He had both the charisma to command his troops 34 00:01:58,100 --> 00:02:00,000 while at the same time being a master military tactician. 35 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:02,634 while at the same time being a master military tactician. 36 00:02:04,867 --> 00:02:08,367 NARRATOR: By the age of 20, Alexander conquers all 37 00:02:08,433 --> 00:02:09,634 of Greece. 38 00:02:09,634 --> 00:02:13,533 Then he invades Egypt and becomes a pharaoh. 39 00:02:14,367 --> 00:02:17,367 At 30, he is king of Persia, 40 00:02:17,367 --> 00:02:20,367 ruling the largest empire in the world. 41 00:02:23,734 --> 00:02:26,467 Egyptologist Arto Belekdanian 42 00:02:26,467 --> 00:02:29,100 is fascinated by Alexander the Great 43 00:02:29,100 --> 00:02:30,000 and his military prowess. 44 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:31,266 and his military prowess. 45 00:02:31,266 --> 00:02:34,533 ARTO: This map shows the conquests of Alexander 46 00:02:34,533 --> 00:02:38,700 the Great -- from his home in Macedonia in 334 BC, 47 00:02:38,700 --> 00:02:41,634 he sets out on his epic struggle against 48 00:02:41,634 --> 00:02:45,166 the Persians, and he defeats all in his way. 49 00:02:47,266 --> 00:02:50,700 NARRATOR: But Alexander's success is short-lived. 50 00:02:50,700 --> 00:02:54,100 He is cut down in his prime, aged just 32. 51 00:02:55,066 --> 00:02:59,166 There are several conflicting reports, but most sources agree 52 00:02:59,233 --> 00:03:00,000 that there was a long period of high fever. 53 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:02,634 that there was a long period of high fever. 54 00:03:04,367 --> 00:03:06,100 NARRATOR: Alexander is one of the most 55 00:03:06,100 --> 00:03:08,367 powerful men who ever lives. 56 00:03:08,433 --> 00:03:10,900 He is worthy of a magnificent burial. 57 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:19,634 According to legend, when Alexander dies, 58 00:03:19,634 --> 00:03:22,433 his embalmers preserve his body in honey. 59 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:29,266 They dress him in his military outfit 60 00:03:29,266 --> 00:03:30,000 before encasing his corpse in a golden coffin. 61 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:32,433 before encasing his corpse in a golden coffin. 62 00:03:37,500 --> 00:03:39,900 The gold is later replaced with glass. 63 00:03:42,266 --> 00:03:44,734 He is sealed in a stone sarcophagus. 64 00:03:49,734 --> 00:03:53,500 Where is this great conqueror's final resting place? 65 00:03:53,500 --> 00:03:55,734 And what does his tomb look like? 66 00:03:58,734 --> 00:04:00,000 ARTO: The location of the tomb of Alexander 67 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:01,166 ARTO: The location of the tomb of Alexander 68 00:04:01,233 --> 00:04:04,367 the Great is one of archaeology's absolute 69 00:04:04,367 --> 00:04:06,500 greatest mysteries. 70 00:04:06,500 --> 00:04:09,433 People have been hunting for it for centuries. 71 00:04:10,500 --> 00:04:12,900 NARRATOR: Alexander dies in Babylon, 72 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:15,634 the most spectacular city of the ancient world. 73 00:04:16,967 --> 00:04:19,367 Priests embalm his body. 74 00:04:19,367 --> 00:04:21,634 Then his generals begin the long journey to 75 00:04:21,634 --> 00:04:25,233 take Alexander back to his homeland in Macedonia. 76 00:04:26,266 --> 00:04:29,967 But during the journey, they run into trouble. 77 00:04:29,967 --> 00:04:30,000 One of the best sources describing 78 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:31,900 One of the best sources describing 79 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:34,734 what happened comes from the Parian marble. 80 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:38,467 NARRATOR: The Parian marble is a chronological list of 81 00:04:38,533 --> 00:04:39,800 ancient events. 82 00:04:39,900 --> 00:04:41,800 It is carved by the ancient Greeks 83 00:04:41,900 --> 00:04:44,734 around 60 years after Alexander dies. 84 00:04:46,467 --> 00:04:48,166 ARTO: And it reads, 85 00:04:48,233 --> 00:04:52,533 Alexander was laid to rest in Memphis, 86 00:04:52,533 --> 00:04:54,000 not in Macedonia. 87 00:04:56,734 --> 00:05:00,000 NARRATOR: After attending a banquet in Babylon in 323 BCE, 88 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:01,100 NARRATOR: After attending a banquet in Babylon in 323 BCE, 89 00:05:01,100 --> 00:05:04,533 Alexander the Great falls ill and dies. 90 00:05:08,100 --> 00:05:12,266 Two years later, his perfectly preserved body leaves Babylon 91 00:05:12,333 --> 00:05:14,467 in a majestic funerary procession 92 00:05:14,467 --> 00:05:16,266 to return to Macedonia. 93 00:05:18,166 --> 00:05:21,533 But Alexander's closest general, Ptolemy, 94 00:05:21,634 --> 00:05:25,634 diverts the convoy to Memphis, the ancient capital of Egypt. 95 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:30,000 Ptolemy follows a Macedonian custom 96 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:31,367 Ptolemy follows a Macedonian custom 97 00:05:31,367 --> 00:05:34,166 of burying his predecessor so that 98 00:05:34,233 --> 00:05:36,166 he can assert his own right to the throne. 99 00:05:42,367 --> 00:05:44,867 Arto heads to Saqqara, the necropolis 100 00:05:44,867 --> 00:05:47,634 of Memphis, in search of Alexander's tomb. 101 00:05:49,867 --> 00:05:52,367 Here, we have tombs dating back 102 00:05:52,367 --> 00:05:55,066 to the very dawn of Egyptian history. 103 00:05:57,467 --> 00:06:00,000 NARRATOR: Saqqara is where the ancient Egyptians build 104 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:00,166 NARRATOR: Saqqara is where the ancient Egyptians build 105 00:06:00,166 --> 00:06:01,967 the very first pyramid, 106 00:06:01,967 --> 00:06:04,533 the revolutionary step pyramid of Djoser. 107 00:06:05,734 --> 00:06:07,734 This necropolis is a fitting place 108 00:06:07,734 --> 00:06:09,900 for any pharaoh to be buried. 109 00:06:12,867 --> 00:06:15,100 Arto starts his search in the cemetery of 110 00:06:15,100 --> 00:06:16,433 the 30th Dynasty. 111 00:06:17,533 --> 00:06:19,967 It is in use just before Alexander 112 00:06:19,967 --> 00:06:21,467 takes control of Egypt. 113 00:06:23,367 --> 00:06:26,266 This site is first excavated in 1850 114 00:06:26,266 --> 00:06:28,533 by French archaeologist, Auguste Mariette. 115 00:06:34,500 --> 00:06:36,367 Beneath the sand, 116 00:06:36,367 --> 00:06:40,867 Mariette finds an avenue lined with statues of sphinxes 117 00:06:40,867 --> 00:06:44,100 that leads to the ruins of an Egyptian temple, 118 00:06:44,100 --> 00:06:48,100 one of the last to be built before Alexander conquers Egypt. 119 00:06:49,467 --> 00:06:53,634 On the southern side, he discovers a chamber 120 00:06:53,734 --> 00:06:56,233 just the right size for a pharaoh's sarcophagus. 121 00:06:58,266 --> 00:07:00,000 Guarding the entrance of the temple, 122 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:00,734 Guarding the entrance of the temple, 123 00:07:00,734 --> 00:07:03,800 an unusual semi-circle of 12 statues, 124 00:07:05,166 --> 00:07:09,233 not of Egyptian gods but of Greek philosophers. 125 00:07:10,166 --> 00:07:13,634 Could this be the tomb of Alexander the Great? 126 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:18,533 Wow. 127 00:07:18,533 --> 00:07:20,100 Look at that. 128 00:07:20,100 --> 00:07:23,500 So here are the statues, the statues of the philosophers, 129 00:07:23,500 --> 00:07:25,700 the writers. 130 00:07:25,700 --> 00:07:27,800 NARRATOR: The statues show signs of erosion 131 00:07:27,900 --> 00:07:29,900 from long exposure to the elements. 132 00:07:32,367 --> 00:07:35,734 But Arto can make out some key details. 133 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:37,467 ARTO: We can instantly tell that they're 134 00:07:37,467 --> 00:07:42,100 done in the Greek classical Hellenistic tradition. 135 00:07:42,100 --> 00:07:45,600 The pose, the dress, everything -- 136 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:48,100 that is decidedly not Egyptian. 137 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:52,533 NARRATOR: The statues have been dated to around 300 BCE, 138 00:07:52,634 --> 00:07:55,233 shortly after Alexander is laid to rest. 139 00:07:56,634 --> 00:07:59,166 Arto believes the identity of the statues is 140 00:07:59,233 --> 00:08:00,000 a clue that Alexander could be buried here. 141 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:02,000 a clue that Alexander could be buried here. 142 00:08:02,867 --> 00:08:06,166 We've got Homer, Plato, 143 00:08:07,166 --> 00:08:08,533 Pindar, 144 00:08:09,266 --> 00:08:11,166 and then Demetrius, 145 00:08:11,233 --> 00:08:15,166 the leading philosopher at the time of Ptolemy. 146 00:08:15,166 --> 00:08:17,734 Alexander the Great definitely would have been familiar 147 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:19,867 with at least some of these people here, 148 00:08:19,867 --> 00:08:23,233 and he received an excellent education. 149 00:08:25,867 --> 00:08:28,066 NARRATOR: The statues of Alexander's revered 150 00:08:28,100 --> 00:08:29,266 Greek philosophers is 151 00:08:29,266 --> 00:08:30,000 persuasive evidence that this could be his tomb. 152 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:32,333 persuasive evidence that this could be his tomb. 153 00:08:34,166 --> 00:08:36,600 But there is one discrepancy. 154 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:39,900 This tomb is distinctly Egyptian in style. 155 00:08:41,467 --> 00:08:43,734 Arto turns to Auguste Marriott's photos 156 00:08:43,734 --> 00:08:46,634 from his excavations to understand why, 157 00:08:47,700 --> 00:08:50,266 and he finds something intriguing 158 00:08:50,266 --> 00:08:54,266 ARTO: It shows a king in the company of a goddess. 159 00:08:54,266 --> 00:08:56,967 We've got hieroglyphic inscriptions, including, 160 00:08:56,967 --> 00:08:59,166 best of all, cartouches, 161 00:08:59,166 --> 00:09:00,000 allowing us to identify who this king is. 162 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:02,900 allowing us to identify who this king is. 163 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:04,533 And it's Nectanebo II. 164 00:09:06,867 --> 00:09:10,367 NARRATOR: The tomb is originally built for Nectanebo II, 165 00:09:10,433 --> 00:09:13,900 the last native Egyptian pharaoh before Alexander, 166 00:09:15,100 --> 00:09:16,533 but he never uses it. 167 00:09:17,533 --> 00:09:21,166 There it was, a royal monument 168 00:09:21,166 --> 00:09:25,500 befitting a pharaoh, just not being used. 169 00:09:25,500 --> 00:09:29,166 And it is entirely possible that Ptolemy used it 170 00:09:29,233 --> 00:09:30,000 for Alexander. 171 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:31,266 for Alexander. 172 00:09:31,333 --> 00:09:33,467 NARRATOR: But contemporary accounts reveal that 173 00:09:33,467 --> 00:09:36,867 Alexander's body doesn't stay in Memphis for long. 174 00:09:36,867 --> 00:09:38,867 ARTO: Ancient sources tell us that the body 175 00:09:38,867 --> 00:09:42,266 of Alexander the Great was moved from Memphis 176 00:09:42,266 --> 00:09:43,634 to Alexandria. 177 00:09:48,266 --> 00:09:52,634 NARRATOR: In 305 BCE, Ptolemy becomes pharaoh 178 00:09:52,734 --> 00:09:56,900 and moves the capital of Egypt from Memphis to Alexandria. 179 00:09:59,066 --> 00:10:00,000 His successor, Ptolemy Philadelphus, removes 180 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:02,467 His successor, Ptolemy Philadelphus, removes 181 00:10:02,467 --> 00:10:05,166 the body of Alexander from Memphis 182 00:10:05,166 --> 00:10:07,900 so that it can be buried in the new capital. 183 00:10:11,734 --> 00:10:13,700 It's possible Philadelphus uses 184 00:10:13,700 --> 00:10:16,166 the sarcophagus of Nectanebo II 185 00:10:16,166 --> 00:10:19,467 to transport the great conqueror to Alexandria, 186 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:24,700 before laying his body to rest in 187 00:10:24,700 --> 00:10:28,233 a grand Macedonian tomb at the heart of the city. 188 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:32,166 Finding his tomb would be one of 189 00:10:32,233 --> 00:10:35,867 the most incredible and earth-shattering archeological 190 00:10:35,867 --> 00:10:37,433 discoveries ever. 191 00:10:39,066 --> 00:10:40,967 NARRATOR: Is Alexander the Great's 192 00:10:40,967 --> 00:10:43,266 ultimate tomb in Alexandria? 193 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:46,533 Can a monumental structure on 194 00:10:46,634 --> 00:10:49,433 the city's outskirts reveal clues? 195 00:10:59,734 --> 00:11:01,734 NARRATOR: Alexandria, 196 00:11:01,800 --> 00:11:04,000 the jewel of Egypt, 197 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:06,634 named after its founder, Alexander the Great, 198 00:11:08,800 --> 00:11:12,266 the Macedonian warrior king who becomes pharaoh. 199 00:11:14,266 --> 00:11:16,266 Arto Belekdanian 200 00:11:16,333 --> 00:11:19,900 is on the hunt for Alexander's tomb in Egypt's 201 00:11:19,900 --> 00:11:21,166 ancient capital. 202 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:24,320 ARTO: Ancient sources tell us that the body 203 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:25,467 ARTO: Ancient sources tell us that the body 204 00:11:25,467 --> 00:11:27,333 of Alexander the Great was moved 205 00:11:27,367 --> 00:11:32,000 from Memphis to Alexandria and buried somewhere 206 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:33,867 in the city. 207 00:11:33,900 --> 00:11:36,266 NARRATOR: He starts his mission at a mysterious 208 00:11:36,266 --> 00:11:40,266 white alabaster tomb on the edge of Alexandria. 209 00:11:40,266 --> 00:11:44,367 ARTO: This tomb was excavated in 1907, 210 00:11:44,367 --> 00:11:47,000 and it is believed to date to the very dawn 211 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:49,066 of the Ptolemaic Period. 212 00:11:49,100 --> 00:11:54,166 So we're talking Ptolemy I, Ptolemy II, during whose reigns 213 00:11:54,166 --> 00:11:54,320 is when the body of Alexander was moved from Memphis 214 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:58,867 is when the body of Alexander was moved from Memphis 215 00:11:58,867 --> 00:12:00,233 to Alexandria. 216 00:12:04,467 --> 00:12:06,367 NARRATOR: In its original form, 217 00:12:06,367 --> 00:12:10,166 this large alabaster doorway lies under a mound of earth, 218 00:12:11,533 --> 00:12:14,433 a typical feature of a Macedonian tomb. 219 00:12:17,467 --> 00:12:19,367 The entrance leads to a burial 220 00:12:19,367 --> 00:12:22,266 chamber for an important Macedonian figure. 221 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:29,333 Could this be Alexander's last resting place? 222 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:38,734 The burial chamber is lost to history. 223 00:12:38,734 --> 00:12:40,900 So Arto starts his investigation 224 00:12:40,900 --> 00:12:42,433 in the entrance chamber. 225 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:47,734 ARTO: Just looking at this monument, you can tell that this 226 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:50,533 belongs to someone immensely influential. 227 00:12:50,600 --> 00:12:53,433 I mean, first of all, just the simple size of it, 228 00:12:53,500 --> 00:12:54,320 and the fact that it's made 229 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:55,166 and the fact that it's made 230 00:12:55,166 --> 00:13:00,333 of this beautiful alabaster and monolithic, 231 00:13:00,367 --> 00:13:03,734 massive blocks of it, as well. 232 00:13:03,800 --> 00:13:10,000 To get alabaster of this quality was a vast expense, 233 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:13,734 something that only royalty could afford. 234 00:13:15,166 --> 00:13:17,533 NARRATOR: Arto compares the structure to 235 00:13:17,600 --> 00:13:19,734 the entrance of Alexander's father's tomb , 236 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:22,734 which is unearthed in northern Greece. 237 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:24,320 We can tell that these are done in the same tradition. 238 00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:27,533 We can tell that these are done in the same tradition. 239 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:29,734 They are remarkably similar. 240 00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:31,634 So we've got this doorway, 241 00:13:31,634 --> 00:13:35,634 a facade, that leads into the chambers inside, 242 00:13:35,734 --> 00:13:38,967 and it's all under a mound. 243 00:13:40,266 --> 00:13:43,000 NARRATOR: The entrance has the same layout as Alexander's 244 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:44,266 father's tomb. 245 00:13:44,333 --> 00:13:48,900 And Arto believes it looks identical on the outside, too. 246 00:13:48,900 --> 00:13:50,900 This was not meant to be seen. 247 00:13:50,900 --> 00:13:53,867 This would have been underground, under the tumulus, 248 00:13:53,900 --> 00:13:54,320 the hill. 249 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:54,967 the hill. 250 00:13:56,900 --> 00:13:59,066 NARRATOR: Arto pieces together the clues. 251 00:14:01,467 --> 00:14:05,166 ARTO: What we have here is a lavish tomb 252 00:14:05,166 --> 00:14:09,367 that is done in a purely Greco-Macedonian style, 253 00:14:09,367 --> 00:14:13,266 and it dates to very early on in the Ptolemaic period, 254 00:14:13,333 --> 00:14:15,333 so Ptolemy I, Ptolemy II. 255 00:14:16,533 --> 00:14:18,000 What that means is 256 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:20,967 this is a very strong contender for 257 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:24,320 the tomb of Alexander the Great in Alexandria. 258 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:24,634 the tomb of Alexander the Great in Alexandria. 259 00:14:25,900 --> 00:14:27,734 NARRATOR: But when archeologists search 260 00:14:27,734 --> 00:14:29,100 for the larger burial chamber 261 00:14:29,100 --> 00:14:31,734 that should connect to the entrance chamber, 262 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:33,734 they find nothing. 263 00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:36,867 Instead, they discover a surprising feature. 264 00:14:39,634 --> 00:14:42,166 Less than three feet from the structure, 265 00:14:42,166 --> 00:14:44,734 experts unearth a well, built more 266 00:14:44,734 --> 00:14:47,734 than 600 years after Alexander's death. 267 00:14:49,367 --> 00:14:52,433 What does it reveal about the origin of the tomb? 268 00:14:53,734 --> 00:14:54,320 ARTO: The fact that the alabaster tomb is 269 00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:56,467 ARTO: The fact that the alabaster tomb is 270 00:14:56,467 --> 00:15:00,734 right here above the well that is supposedly much 271 00:15:00,734 --> 00:15:05,734 later in date has led some to argue that the alabaster tomb 272 00:15:05,734 --> 00:15:08,166 is not sitting in its original location, 273 00:15:08,233 --> 00:15:10,900 but rather that it was moved here. 274 00:15:12,166 --> 00:15:15,000 NARRATOR: The evidence suggests the tomb is moved from 275 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:17,634 the city center to where it stands now. 276 00:15:18,900 --> 00:15:22,867 This aligns remarkably with historical sources, which state 277 00:15:22,900 --> 00:15:24,320 that Alexander's first tomb 278 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:24,533 that Alexander's first tomb 279 00:15:24,533 --> 00:15:28,734 is only temporary before he is moved to something more lavish. 280 00:15:31,734 --> 00:15:35,166 What this means is the alabaster tomb may very well 281 00:15:35,166 --> 00:15:39,634 be the first tomb of Alexander the Great in Alexandria. 282 00:15:44,100 --> 00:15:46,734 NARRATOR: Alexander views himself as a god 283 00:15:46,734 --> 00:15:50,066 and son of the almighty Greek deity, Zeus. 284 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:54,320 His successors promote his God-King image in 285 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:56,900 His successors promote his God-King image in 286 00:15:56,900 --> 00:16:01,266 a cult to legitimize their own divine rule over Egypt. 287 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:07,433 To strengthen the dynastic cult, Ptolemy IV Philopator 288 00:16:07,500 --> 00:16:09,266 removes Alexander from 289 00:16:09,266 --> 00:16:13,967 his tomb to place him in a new royal monument called the Soma. 290 00:16:15,367 --> 00:16:19,867 This grand edifice not only contains the body of Alexander 291 00:16:19,900 --> 00:16:23,533 but also the ashes of the three first Ptolemaic kings. 292 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:28,066 This was a very clever PR move. 293 00:16:28,100 --> 00:16:32,000 By doing so, Ptolemy IV forged a link in 294 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:35,100 the public mind between Alexander the Great 295 00:16:35,100 --> 00:16:37,000 and his dynasty, 296 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:40,533 thus having the divinity of Alexander the Great 297 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:43,900 reflect onto his own dynasty. 298 00:16:45,166 --> 00:16:46,867 NARRATOR: Even in death, 299 00:16:46,867 --> 00:16:49,433 Alexander wields significant power. 300 00:16:50,700 --> 00:16:53,100 Ptolemy IV uses this connection 301 00:16:53,100 --> 00:16:54,320 to the iconic ruler to his advantage. 302 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:55,734 to the iconic ruler to his advantage. 303 00:16:58,266 --> 00:17:02,533 Where is the Soma, the final resting place of Alexander? 304 00:17:04,266 --> 00:17:06,533 Could clues in an ancient map 305 00:17:06,600 --> 00:17:10,533 reveal the location of Alexander's last mausoleum, 306 00:17:10,533 --> 00:17:13,066 a structure so grand, it could 307 00:17:13,100 --> 00:17:16,166 even rival one of the Seven Wonders? 308 00:17:26,100 --> 00:17:30,166 NARRATOR: Alexander the Great is buried in two temporary tombs 309 00:17:30,166 --> 00:17:33,867 before he is finally laid to rest in a grand mausoleum, 310 00:17:33,867 --> 00:17:38,533 the Soma, in the center of his capital city, Alexandria. 311 00:17:39,734 --> 00:17:43,734 But its location is lost from the history books. 312 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:47,734 Archaeologist Alicia Johnson joins the search. 313 00:17:49,100 --> 00:17:51,160 When you're on the hunt for Alexander the Great, 314 00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:51,166 When you're on the hunt for Alexander the Great, 315 00:17:51,233 --> 00:17:54,166 you have to think like a detective, you have to dig 316 00:17:54,166 --> 00:17:55,967 through the pitfalls. 317 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:58,734 But in the end, it's exciting, because 318 00:17:58,734 --> 00:18:01,967 we are in the search of a legend. 319 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:03,734 NARRATOR: Alicia believes that the lavish 320 00:18:03,734 --> 00:18:07,000 Soma lies somewhere beneath modern Alexandria. 321 00:18:09,166 --> 00:18:12,634 She begins her search at Qaitbay Citadel, 322 00:18:12,634 --> 00:18:16,734 a 15th century CE fort located by Alexandria's 323 00:18:16,734 --> 00:18:17,867 great harbor. 324 00:18:18,734 --> 00:18:21,160 It gives her a spectacular view across the ancient city. 325 00:18:21,160 --> 00:18:22,734 It gives her a spectacular view across the ancient city. 326 00:18:27,166 --> 00:18:31,000 Alexandria is the largest city in antiquity. 327 00:18:32,266 --> 00:18:35,367 Ancient texts describe the great monuments 328 00:18:35,367 --> 00:18:37,634 spread across the capital, 329 00:18:37,700 --> 00:18:41,367 temples dedicated to Greek and Egyptian gods, 330 00:18:43,100 --> 00:18:47,634 vast palaces, a famed library. 331 00:18:48,734 --> 00:18:51,160 and a majestic lighthouse over the harbor. 332 00:18:51,160 --> 00:18:51,433 and a majestic lighthouse over the harbor. 333 00:18:53,634 --> 00:18:55,967 Ptolemy IV reburies Alexander in 334 00:18:55,967 --> 00:18:59,867 a grand mausoleum somewhere in the city, 335 00:18:59,900 --> 00:19:02,533 but the ancient city is all buried beneath 336 00:19:02,533 --> 00:19:04,000 modern Alexandria. 337 00:19:05,166 --> 00:19:07,800 Where is Alexander buried? 338 00:19:10,700 --> 00:19:12,967 The first clue comes from Roman 339 00:19:12,967 --> 00:19:16,000 poet Lucan, who describes the Soma. 340 00:19:16,900 --> 00:19:20,266 "Though you preserve Alexander in the consecrated grotto, 341 00:19:20,266 --> 00:19:21,160 "and the ashes of the kings rest beneath a loftily 342 00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:23,166 "and the ashes of the kings rest beneath a loftily 343 00:19:23,166 --> 00:19:24,967 "constructed edifice, 344 00:19:24,967 --> 00:19:27,533 "though the dead Ptolemies and their unworthy 345 00:19:27,533 --> 00:19:30,533 "dynasty are covered by indignant pyramids 346 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:31,900 and mausoleums..." 347 00:19:33,967 --> 00:19:36,734 NARRATOR: This could mean Alexander's mausoleum has 348 00:19:36,800 --> 00:19:40,066 a triangular or pyramid-shaped roof. 349 00:19:40,100 --> 00:19:42,166 And the clue ties in with an intriguing 350 00:19:42,166 --> 00:19:45,467 inscription left behind by a Roman trader, 351 00:19:45,467 --> 00:19:46,533 Julius Philosyrius. 352 00:19:47,734 --> 00:19:49,734 As a trader, he more than most likely 353 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:51,160 would have visited Alexandria, 354 00:19:51,160 --> 00:19:51,867 would have visited Alexandria, 355 00:19:51,867 --> 00:19:53,533 and on his sarcophagus, 356 00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:55,867 there's quite an interesting inscription 357 00:19:55,867 --> 00:19:59,000 in regards to the possible location of 358 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:00,734 Alexander the Great. 359 00:20:00,800 --> 00:20:03,433 NARRATOR: The sarcophagus shows a harbor scene 360 00:20:03,500 --> 00:20:06,867 with a lighthouse on the right -- on the left, 361 00:20:06,867 --> 00:20:09,734 a structure that resembles the royal palace, 362 00:20:09,734 --> 00:20:12,967 and in between the two, a tall building with 363 00:20:12,967 --> 00:20:16,967 a triangular-shaped roof, just as the Soma is described 364 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:18,967 by Lucan. 365 00:20:18,967 --> 00:20:21,160 Alicia wants to narrow down the tomb's location 366 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:22,000 Alicia wants to narrow down the tomb's location 367 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:25,533 by comparing the inscription on the sarcophagus to the known 368 00:20:25,533 --> 00:20:27,634 location of ancient landmarks. 369 00:20:30,734 --> 00:20:33,967 We are at the modern day Qaitbay Citadel, which is 370 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:37,467 the location for where the ancient lighthouse of 371 00:20:37,467 --> 00:20:39,333 Alexandria was constructed. 372 00:20:40,533 --> 00:20:42,734 NARRATOR: The lighthouse of Alexandria is 373 00:20:42,734 --> 00:20:44,266 a marvel of engineering, 374 00:20:44,266 --> 00:20:47,166 one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. 375 00:20:48,900 --> 00:20:51,160 It stands up to 360 feet and dominates the skyline 376 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:53,367 It stands up to 360 feet and dominates the skyline 377 00:20:53,433 --> 00:20:54,634 of Alexandria. 378 00:20:57,734 --> 00:21:01,066 Alicia has identified the first clue. 379 00:21:01,100 --> 00:21:04,634 The Soma must lie between here and the royal palace. 380 00:21:07,700 --> 00:21:10,333 She examines further written references. 381 00:21:11,734 --> 00:21:14,467 ALICIA: A final clue comes from the ancient Greek 382 00:21:14,467 --> 00:21:16,266 author, Zenobius. 383 00:21:16,333 --> 00:21:18,166 He claimed that the Soma was in 384 00:21:18,166 --> 00:21:21,100 the center of the heart of Alexandria. 385 00:21:21,100 --> 00:21:21,160 And while it's not exactly very specific, 386 00:21:21,160 --> 00:21:23,467 And while it's not exactly very specific, 387 00:21:23,467 --> 00:21:26,634 we can refer back to ancient maps to maybe be able to 388 00:21:26,634 --> 00:21:30,000 consider where might Alexander have been buried? 389 00:21:31,467 --> 00:21:33,634 NARRATOR: The clues lead Alicia to one of 390 00:21:33,700 --> 00:21:37,867 the oldest roads that runs through modern Alexandria. 391 00:21:37,900 --> 00:21:40,967 ALICIA: We're right near El Horreya, which is an ancient 392 00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:44,533 road that has followed its way for thousands of years. 393 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:46,967 NARRATOR: El Horreya is the principal road of 394 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:50,533 the ancient city, running east to west through the center. 395 00:21:51,700 --> 00:21:54,533 And it's really useful for me, because it allows me to be 396 00:21:54,533 --> 00:21:58,433 able to orientate myself when evaluating and researching 397 00:21:58,500 --> 00:22:00,533 ancient maps of the city. 398 00:22:00,533 --> 00:22:03,734 NARRATOR: Alicia investigates a map drawn by Egyptian 399 00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:07,433 cartographer, Mahmud Bey, in the late 1800s. 400 00:22:08,734 --> 00:22:10,634 It's one of the most accurate maps we have 401 00:22:10,700 --> 00:22:12,967 of ancient Alexandria. 402 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:14,266 Maps such as these help 403 00:22:14,266 --> 00:22:17,533 us to be able to consider where might ancient sites be 404 00:22:17,533 --> 00:22:20,066 found in modern day locations. 405 00:22:21,467 --> 00:22:24,367 NARRATOR: Mahmud marks the junction of El Horreya 406 00:22:24,433 --> 00:22:28,433 and a second unnamed road as the center of the ancient city. 407 00:22:29,867 --> 00:22:33,634 The ancient crossroads must be somewhere along the El Horreya, 408 00:22:33,634 --> 00:22:36,800 the main road that still runs through the heart of the city. 409 00:22:41,467 --> 00:22:45,266 Legends say Alexander designs his city 410 00:22:45,266 --> 00:22:48,533 by marking out the boundaries using barley flour. 411 00:22:50,734 --> 00:22:51,160 Thousands of birds flock down to eat the flour. 412 00:22:51,160 --> 00:22:54,367 Thousands of birds flock down to eat the flour. 413 00:22:54,367 --> 00:22:57,266 But Alexander's prophet takes this as a good omen 414 00:22:57,266 --> 00:22:59,533 that the city will provide for its people. 415 00:23:01,967 --> 00:23:04,166 The city borders are said to take 416 00:23:04,233 --> 00:23:06,800 the shape of a Macedonian military cloak, and inside, 417 00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:12,000 the planners lay out streets in a series of grids. 418 00:23:14,166 --> 00:23:17,467 At its heart, the two main roads intersect to 419 00:23:17,467 --> 00:23:20,800 form the most prestigious crossroad of Alexandria. 420 00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:25,867 Further up El Horreya, 421 00:23:25,867 --> 00:23:28,800 Alicia stops at a large crossroads. 422 00:23:30,166 --> 00:23:34,233 ALICIA: The crossroads at the heart of the city of Alexandria. 423 00:23:38,100 --> 00:23:40,433 Logically speaking, this might be 424 00:23:40,500 --> 00:23:42,533 where Alexander the Great is buried. 425 00:23:44,166 --> 00:23:48,166 NARRATOR: Today, very little of the ancient city survives. 426 00:23:48,166 --> 00:23:51,160 But all the clues suggest Alexander's grand 427 00:23:51,160 --> 00:23:51,166 But all the clues suggest Alexander's grand 428 00:23:51,166 --> 00:23:55,900 mausoleum lies right here beneath this modern crossroads. 429 00:24:03,467 --> 00:24:06,467 The Roman texts described the famous Soma 430 00:24:06,467 --> 00:24:10,433 towering over the city for over 600 years. 431 00:24:10,500 --> 00:24:14,266 But by 390 CE, this iconic monument 432 00:24:14,333 --> 00:24:15,800 is never mentioned again. 433 00:24:16,900 --> 00:24:19,634 It is wiped from history. 434 00:24:19,634 --> 00:24:21,160 ALICIA: What happens to him is a mystery. 435 00:24:21,160 --> 00:24:22,734 ALICIA: What happens to him is a mystery. 436 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:27,166 Where had Alexander the Great gone? 437 00:24:28,467 --> 00:24:32,100 NARRATOR: What happens to Alexander's grand mausoleum? 438 00:24:32,100 --> 00:24:35,266 Could the discovery of 2,000-year-old ruins 439 00:24:35,266 --> 00:24:37,166 reveal what it looks like? 440 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:48,367 NARRATOR: Alexander the Great, one of history's most 441 00:24:48,433 --> 00:24:50,467 enigmatic figures. 442 00:24:50,467 --> 00:24:53,266 He builds one of the greatest empires the world has 443 00:24:53,333 --> 00:24:54,367 ever seen, 444 00:24:54,367 --> 00:24:57,533 and at the age of just 32, he dies. 445 00:24:58,734 --> 00:25:01,734 He is buried in a grand mausoleum in Alexandria, 446 00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:03,266 where his tomb, 447 00:25:03,266 --> 00:25:05,734 the Soma, vanishes from history. 448 00:25:06,867 --> 00:25:08,867 What it looks like has been a mystery 449 00:25:08,867 --> 00:25:10,233 for thousands of years. 450 00:25:15,700 --> 00:25:17,433 Investigator Andrew Chugg 451 00:25:18,467 --> 00:25:20,700 is at the British Museum in search 452 00:25:20,700 --> 00:25:23,734 of clues to the design of Alexander's mausoleum. 453 00:25:26,166 --> 00:25:29,266 He begins his investigation at statues found at 454 00:25:29,266 --> 00:25:31,166 the ruins of one of the wonders 455 00:25:31,166 --> 00:25:32,900 of the ancient world, 456 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:34,533 the mausoleum of Halicarnassus. 457 00:25:36,867 --> 00:25:41,160 ANDREW: Here's a horse from a tomb at Halicarnassus. 458 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:41,900 ANDREW: Here's a horse from a tomb at Halicarnassus. 459 00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:44,367 To give you an idea of the scale of this tomb, 460 00:25:44,367 --> 00:25:47,867 this is one of four horses that stood 461 00:25:47,867 --> 00:25:51,367 at the apex of its stepped pyramidal roof. 462 00:25:51,367 --> 00:25:53,467 NARRATOR: Andrew believes there is a connection 463 00:25:53,467 --> 00:25:57,066 between the mausoleum and Alexander's own tomb. 464 00:25:58,266 --> 00:26:01,867 The clue again comes from the Roman poet, Lucan. 465 00:26:01,867 --> 00:26:05,066 ANDREW: The interesting point here is that the poet Lucan, 466 00:26:05,066 --> 00:26:09,533 in describing Alexander's tomb in Alexandria, also calls it 467 00:26:09,533 --> 00:26:11,160 specifically a mausoleum. 468 00:26:11,160 --> 00:26:11,600 specifically a mausoleum. 469 00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:14,634 So he's drawing a link between Alexander's tomb 470 00:26:14,634 --> 00:26:18,266 in Alexandria and the spectacular tomb 471 00:26:18,266 --> 00:26:20,533 of Mausolus in Halicarnassus. 472 00:26:21,367 --> 00:26:24,367 NARRATOR: The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus is a towering 473 00:26:24,433 --> 00:26:28,867 monument, built just 25 years before Alexander dies, 474 00:26:30,166 --> 00:26:33,367 built for King Mausolus the Greek Kingdom, Caria, 475 00:26:34,367 --> 00:26:36,100 whose name gives us the word 476 00:26:36,100 --> 00:26:39,333 mausoleum to describe a monumental tomb. 477 00:26:41,367 --> 00:26:46,066 Can this monument unlock what Alexander's tomb looks like? 478 00:26:50,367 --> 00:26:52,700 ANDREW: Here is a statue of King Mausolus 479 00:26:52,700 --> 00:26:54,634 taken from his tomb, 480 00:26:54,634 --> 00:26:57,467 the tomb that we call the Mausoleum. 481 00:26:57,467 --> 00:27:00,467 It was indeed the very first mausoleum, 482 00:27:00,467 --> 00:27:02,433 named after this king. 483 00:27:04,533 --> 00:27:06,967 NARRATOR: Philip IV, the Greek pharaoh who 484 00:27:06,967 --> 00:27:10,700 builds Alexander's tomb calls it a mausoleum. 485 00:27:10,700 --> 00:27:11,160 The deliberate use of the specific new word 486 00:27:11,160 --> 00:27:13,367 The deliberate use of the specific new word 487 00:27:13,367 --> 00:27:16,066 suggests that the buildings look alike. 488 00:27:17,867 --> 00:27:22,100 So Alexander's tomb is a grand, columned building, 489 00:27:22,100 --> 00:27:23,367 which stands on top of 490 00:27:23,433 --> 00:27:26,533 a great pedestal with a pyramidal-shaped roof. 491 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:30,367 ANDREW: Ptolemy Philopator 492 00:27:30,433 --> 00:27:33,266 was building a mausoleum, not just for Alexander, 493 00:27:33,266 --> 00:27:36,500 but also for his own ancestors. 494 00:27:36,500 --> 00:27:39,367 He wanted to build a quintessentially 495 00:27:39,433 --> 00:27:40,467 Greek monument 496 00:27:40,467 --> 00:27:41,160 in Alexandria to celebrate them as Greek kings. 497 00:27:41,160 --> 00:27:44,634 in Alexandria to celebrate them as Greek kings. 498 00:27:44,634 --> 00:27:48,700 So that's probably why he chose to use the mausoleum 499 00:27:48,700 --> 00:27:51,600 at Halicarnassus as his model. 500 00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:53,166 NARRATOR: And there is strong evidence 501 00:27:53,166 --> 00:27:57,467 Alexander saw the mausoleum at Halicarnassus for himself. 502 00:28:02,166 --> 00:28:05,066 In 367 BCE, 503 00:28:05,100 --> 00:28:06,600 King Mausolus rules part of 504 00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:09,634 the eastern Mediterranean from his palace in Halicarnassus. 505 00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:17,266 After a 24-year reign, Mausolus dies, 506 00:28:17,266 --> 00:28:20,367 leaving his wife, Artemisia, heartbroken. 507 00:28:20,367 --> 00:28:23,100 [sobbing noises] 508 00:28:23,100 --> 00:28:25,600 Inspired by nearby monuments, 509 00:28:25,600 --> 00:28:28,166 she builds her husband a grand tomb 510 00:28:28,166 --> 00:28:30,533 that, over time, takes on his name, 511 00:28:31,467 --> 00:28:32,734 the Mausoleum. 512 00:28:34,700 --> 00:28:37,367 Seventeen years later, Alexander the Great 513 00:28:37,367 --> 00:28:39,367 captures Halicarnassus. 514 00:28:39,367 --> 00:28:41,160 The retreating Persians set fire to the city, 515 00:28:41,160 --> 00:28:41,900 The retreating Persians set fire to the city, 516 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:44,066 but the great Mausoleum is spared. 517 00:28:47,266 --> 00:28:50,367 Halicarnassus is destroyed in a series of earthquakes 518 00:28:50,433 --> 00:28:51,533 in the Middle Ages. 519 00:28:52,500 --> 00:28:56,467 But historical records talk of its spectacular height. 520 00:28:56,533 --> 00:29:00,266 Ancient sources indicate that the mausoleum at Halicarnassus, 521 00:29:00,333 --> 00:29:03,634 the original Mausoleum, was about 45 meters high. 522 00:29:03,734 --> 00:29:06,467 We don't have a specific record of the height of 523 00:29:06,467 --> 00:29:08,000 Alexander's tomb, 524 00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:11,160 but I think we can imagine it must have been at least on 525 00:29:11,160 --> 00:29:11,367 but I think we can imagine it must have been at least on 526 00:29:11,367 --> 00:29:12,634 the same scale. 527 00:29:13,867 --> 00:29:15,867 NARRATOR: Only the statues remain of 528 00:29:15,867 --> 00:29:17,266 the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus. 529 00:29:18,367 --> 00:29:21,467 But remarkably, the tomb that inspired it 530 00:29:21,467 --> 00:29:23,867 is itself in the British Museum. 531 00:29:23,867 --> 00:29:26,066 It is called the Nereid Monument. 532 00:29:28,100 --> 00:29:31,266 It is extraordinarily well preserved, 533 00:29:31,266 --> 00:29:34,533 so Andrew can examine its features close up. 534 00:29:37,100 --> 00:29:40,634 ANDREW: It has bands of sculpture around its podium. 535 00:29:40,734 --> 00:29:41,160 It has a roof supported on an array of columns. 536 00:29:41,160 --> 00:29:45,166 It has a roof supported on an array of columns. 537 00:29:45,166 --> 00:29:48,166 This is giving you a good idea of the kind of 538 00:29:48,233 --> 00:29:51,900 style that you would expect to see in Alexander's tomb 539 00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:53,233 in Alexandria. 540 00:29:55,266 --> 00:29:57,066 NARRATOR: Piecing together the clues, 541 00:29:57,066 --> 00:29:59,166 it is now possible to reconstruct 542 00:29:59,233 --> 00:30:02,066 what Alexander's mausoleum may look like. 543 00:30:05,700 --> 00:30:08,266 For centuries, Alexander the Great 544 00:30:08,333 --> 00:30:10,600 lies in his glass coffin, 545 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:11,160 set within the sarcophagus of Nectanebo II 546 00:30:11,160 --> 00:30:13,000 set within the sarcophagus of Nectanebo II 547 00:30:16,166 --> 00:30:20,367 and is placed inside a giant mausoleum of Greek design, 548 00:30:20,433 --> 00:30:21,467 the Soma. 549 00:30:23,734 --> 00:30:25,634 According to ancient texts, 550 00:30:25,634 --> 00:30:29,600 this monument stands at the heart of a sacred burial 551 00:30:29,600 --> 00:30:31,533 ground for Ptolemaic kings 552 00:30:32,467 --> 00:30:35,266 in the royal quarter of Alexandria, 553 00:30:38,100 --> 00:30:41,160 a fitting final resting place for the great warrior king. 554 00:30:41,160 --> 00:30:42,433 a fitting final resting place for the great warrior king. 555 00:30:47,266 --> 00:30:50,100 ANDREW: This man had become a god. 556 00:30:50,100 --> 00:30:53,066 Alexander's tomb would have been an absolutely 557 00:30:53,100 --> 00:30:55,634 spectacular monument, probably greater 558 00:30:55,734 --> 00:30:57,266 even than one of the Seven Wonders, 559 00:30:57,333 --> 00:31:00,367 the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. 560 00:31:00,433 --> 00:31:03,500 NARRATOR: Alexander's mausoleum is one of the most spectacular 561 00:31:03,500 --> 00:31:05,634 buildings in the ancient world 562 00:31:05,634 --> 00:31:08,700 and becomes a place of holy pilgrimage for some of the most 563 00:31:08,700 --> 00:31:10,734 important names in history. 564 00:31:11,634 --> 00:31:15,867 ANDREW: A succession of notable Romans -- Julius Caesar, 565 00:31:15,867 --> 00:31:17,967 Augustus Caesar, Hadrian. 566 00:31:17,967 --> 00:31:22,266 Coming to worship at this shrine is the only place that 567 00:31:22,266 --> 00:31:23,467 you could see a tomb of 568 00:31:23,533 --> 00:31:25,634 an actual God in the Roman Empire. 569 00:31:27,367 --> 00:31:30,533 NARRATOR: Alexander's tomb rivals the Seven Wonders 570 00:31:30,634 --> 00:31:32,467 of the ancient world, 571 00:31:32,533 --> 00:31:35,367 but it vanishes from history. 572 00:31:35,433 --> 00:31:39,066 Could clues at an ancient temple in Alexandria 573 00:31:39,066 --> 00:31:40,900 reveal its fate? 574 00:31:53,100 --> 00:31:55,533 NARRATOR: Alicia Johnson is searching for clues 575 00:31:55,533 --> 00:31:58,867 to why no trace of Alexander the Great's mausoleum, 576 00:31:58,867 --> 00:32:02,367 the Soma, remains in modern Alexandria. 577 00:32:03,634 --> 00:32:07,000 She heads to the ruins of the Serapeum, 578 00:32:07,000 --> 00:32:09,734 an ancient temple in the center of the city. 579 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:12,233 ALICIA: While it might not look like 580 00:32:12,266 --> 00:32:14,867 much right now, during the Ptolemaic time, 581 00:32:14,900 --> 00:32:18,440 this was a fascinating and fabulous temple complex. 582 00:32:18,440 --> 00:32:19,433 this was a fascinating and fabulous temple complex. 583 00:32:24,467 --> 00:32:28,100 NARRATOR: In the west of the city, on a hill, 584 00:32:28,100 --> 00:32:31,967 stands the most magnificent temple of Alexandria, 585 00:32:31,967 --> 00:32:33,433 the Serapeum. 586 00:32:36,066 --> 00:32:41,634 Inside, a statue of the Greek Egyptian hybrid god, Serapis, 587 00:32:41,634 --> 00:32:45,734 promoted by Ptolemy I to unify his two peoples. 588 00:32:47,700 --> 00:32:48,440 The cult of Serapis grows even stronger in the Roman era 589 00:32:48,440 --> 00:32:51,533 The cult of Serapis grows even stronger in the Roman era 590 00:32:52,500 --> 00:32:54,467 but comes to a violent end 591 00:32:54,533 --> 00:32:58,100 when this temple is destroyed in 391 CE. 592 00:33:00,367 --> 00:33:02,166 What can this lost temple 593 00:33:02,166 --> 00:33:05,233 reveal about Alexander's missing tomb? 594 00:33:08,467 --> 00:33:10,066 Alicia thinks the sphinxes at 595 00:33:10,066 --> 00:33:13,066 the temple's entrance hold the answer. 596 00:33:13,100 --> 00:33:15,800 They were created with love and attention to detail, 597 00:33:15,800 --> 00:33:18,440 because these monuments weren't just statues. 598 00:33:18,440 --> 00:33:19,467 because these monuments weren't just statues. 599 00:33:19,467 --> 00:33:22,533 They were deities, they had power. 600 00:33:22,634 --> 00:33:27,233 However, as you can see, a part of the sphinx is missing. 601 00:33:27,266 --> 00:33:31,533 The nose was cut off in an attempt to remove the power 602 00:33:31,634 --> 00:33:34,634 that was held within these monuments. 603 00:33:34,734 --> 00:33:37,100 NARRATOR: Ancient Egyptians believe that the nose 604 00:33:37,100 --> 00:33:40,066 is the source of the sculpture's power. 605 00:33:40,100 --> 00:33:43,000 Cutting it off would cause the spirit inside to 606 00:33:43,000 --> 00:33:45,100 stop breathing. 607 00:33:45,100 --> 00:33:48,440 So to remove the power of one of these sphinxes by 608 00:33:48,440 --> 00:33:48,467 So to remove the power of one of these sphinxes by 609 00:33:48,533 --> 00:33:51,533 cutting off their nose was an attack on the ancient 610 00:33:51,634 --> 00:33:52,734 Egyptian religion. 611 00:33:53,600 --> 00:33:56,533 It was a deliberate act of vandalism. 612 00:33:57,967 --> 00:33:59,700 NARRATOR: Alicia unearths evidence 613 00:33:59,700 --> 00:34:01,634 of the identity of the vandal, 614 00:34:01,634 --> 00:34:04,467 the man who could also be responsible for the ultimate 615 00:34:04,467 --> 00:34:06,066 fate of Alexander. 616 00:34:06,066 --> 00:34:07,367 ALICIA: So what we have here is 617 00:34:07,367 --> 00:34:10,066 a manuscript that dates back to the fifth century. 618 00:34:10,100 --> 00:34:11,734 But the figure that's featured in 619 00:34:11,734 --> 00:34:14,967 the manuscript is a man named Theophilus. 620 00:34:14,967 --> 00:34:18,367 Theophilus is the Christian patriarch of Alexandria 621 00:34:18,433 --> 00:34:18,440 at the end of the 4th century CE. 622 00:34:18,440 --> 00:34:21,166 at the end of the 4th century CE. 623 00:34:21,166 --> 00:34:23,367 ALICIA: What we see here in this image 624 00:34:23,367 --> 00:34:25,467 is the Theophilus standing on top 625 00:34:25,467 --> 00:34:28,166 of a building that we can recognize as the Serapeum -- 626 00:34:28,166 --> 00:34:31,533 in his hand, holding the Christian Bible, 627 00:34:31,533 --> 00:34:34,533 and stomping on the building. 628 00:34:34,634 --> 00:34:38,166 It represents the complete destruction of the pagan 629 00:34:38,233 --> 00:34:42,467 religion that pre-existed the incoming Christian ideology. 630 00:34:42,467 --> 00:34:45,700 This image tells me that the Serapeum 631 00:34:45,700 --> 00:34:48,440 was deliberately destroyed by competing religious forces. 632 00:34:48,440 --> 00:34:50,066 was deliberately destroyed by competing religious forces. 633 00:34:52,166 --> 00:34:54,233 NARRATOR: In 391 CE, Theophilus 634 00:34:55,367 --> 00:34:57,967 orders Christians to mock pagan objects 635 00:34:57,967 --> 00:35:00,233 in a parade through Alexandria. 636 00:35:03,700 --> 00:35:07,166 A fight breaks out, but the Christians outnumber 637 00:35:07,166 --> 00:35:11,634 the pagans and force them to seek refuge in the Serapeum. 638 00:35:14,000 --> 00:35:16,967 Theophilus receives orders from Rome to pardon 639 00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:18,440 the pagans and remove them from their hideout. 640 00:35:18,440 --> 00:35:20,233 the pagans and remove them from their hideout. 641 00:35:25,600 --> 00:35:29,066 Then, his soldiers and some monks destroy the Serapeum 642 00:35:30,000 --> 00:35:32,100 and other pagan buildings. 643 00:35:34,000 --> 00:35:36,734 This was an incredibly significant moment in 644 00:35:36,734 --> 00:35:39,533 world history, the destruction of the Serapeum, 645 00:35:40,367 --> 00:35:43,166 and it starts to mark the descent of 646 00:35:43,166 --> 00:35:46,166 the pagan religion in the transition into the new 647 00:35:46,166 --> 00:35:47,533 Christian religion. 648 00:35:47,533 --> 00:35:48,440 Considering Alexander the Great was likely deified, 649 00:35:48,440 --> 00:35:52,266 Considering Alexander the Great was likely deified, 650 00:35:52,266 --> 00:35:55,367 it is not surprising that we can consider 651 00:35:55,367 --> 00:35:58,634 the concept that maybe Alexander the Great's mausoleum 652 00:35:58,634 --> 00:36:00,533 was destroyed 653 00:36:00,533 --> 00:36:04,166 in addition to other pagan monuments. 654 00:36:07,800 --> 00:36:09,467 NARRATOR: The triumph of Christianity 655 00:36:09,533 --> 00:36:13,266 in the Roman Empire is devastating for pagan religions 656 00:36:13,266 --> 00:36:14,867 across the ancient world. 657 00:36:16,800 --> 00:36:18,440 The magnificent mausoleum of Alexander the Great 658 00:36:18,440 --> 00:36:19,734 The magnificent mausoleum of Alexander the Great 659 00:36:19,800 --> 00:36:23,600 and his tomb and mummified body are unlikely to 660 00:36:23,600 --> 00:36:25,533 have survived the catastrophe. 661 00:36:28,967 --> 00:36:30,734 Alexander's holy tomb may have 662 00:36:30,800 --> 00:36:33,000 been destroyed by the Christians, 663 00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:36,634 but clues suggest his body might have survived. 664 00:36:37,634 --> 00:36:40,233 Can startling new evidence prove that 665 00:36:40,266 --> 00:36:42,867 his body is swapped for someone else? 666 00:36:53,734 --> 00:36:56,166 NARRATOR: Alexander the Great, one of 667 00:36:56,166 --> 00:36:59,166 history's most celebrated military commanders. 668 00:37:00,533 --> 00:37:03,467 He dies at the age of just 32 669 00:37:03,467 --> 00:37:05,734 and is buried in a grand mausoleum, 670 00:37:05,800 --> 00:37:07,734 which vanishes from history. 671 00:37:09,266 --> 00:37:11,900 It's thought his body is lost with his tomb. 672 00:37:14,467 --> 00:37:18,467 But historian Andrew Chugg has another theory. 673 00:37:18,467 --> 00:37:19,240 It involves a surprising name from history, 674 00:37:19,240 --> 00:37:21,367 It involves a surprising name from history, 675 00:37:22,266 --> 00:37:23,433 Saint Mark. 676 00:37:24,467 --> 00:37:27,166 ANDREW: Saint Mark is the author of the gospel 677 00:37:27,166 --> 00:37:30,967 according to Saint Mark in the New Testament. 678 00:37:31,000 --> 00:37:35,734 He then goes to Egypt, where he becomes the first patriarch 679 00:37:35,800 --> 00:37:39,000 in Egypt, the founder of Christianity in Egypt. 680 00:37:40,867 --> 00:37:43,367 NARRATOR: Conservator Ferdinando Forlati 681 00:37:43,367 --> 00:37:47,166 excavates Saint Mark's tomb in Venice in the 1960s. 682 00:37:48,634 --> 00:37:49,240 He did a series of excavations, and in the course of 683 00:37:49,240 --> 00:37:51,967 He did a series of excavations, and in the course of 684 00:37:52,000 --> 00:37:53,166 those excavations, 685 00:37:53,166 --> 00:37:56,533 he discovers a huge block of what he initially thought was 686 00:37:56,600 --> 00:37:58,066 Roman sculpture. 687 00:37:59,467 --> 00:38:02,266 NARRATOR: The beautifully carved block depicts a lance 688 00:38:02,266 --> 00:38:05,734 and a large shield with a star emblem in the center. 689 00:38:07,166 --> 00:38:10,166 ANDREW: That's the emblem of Alexander's family. 690 00:38:10,233 --> 00:38:14,734 We see that emblem on the funeral casket 691 00:38:14,734 --> 00:38:16,867 of his father, Philip. 692 00:38:16,867 --> 00:38:19,240 It's very much the emblem that we would expect to see on 693 00:38:19,240 --> 00:38:21,100 It's very much the emblem that we would expect to see on 694 00:38:21,100 --> 00:38:23,266 the shield of Alexander the Great. 695 00:38:24,100 --> 00:38:26,734 NARRATOR: It's a clue that makes Andrew suspect the tomb 696 00:38:26,734 --> 00:38:31,467 of Saint Mark could contain the lost body of Alexander. 697 00:38:31,467 --> 00:38:34,533 And he has more evidence for this startling theory. 698 00:38:38,100 --> 00:38:42,533 Saint Mark dies in Alexandria in 68 CE, 699 00:38:42,533 --> 00:38:44,367 but his tomb is not mentioned in 700 00:38:44,433 --> 00:38:47,734 ancient literature until centuries after his death. 701 00:38:49,100 --> 00:38:49,240 This is around the same time 702 00:38:49,240 --> 00:38:50,634 This is around the same time 703 00:38:50,634 --> 00:38:53,533 Alexander disappears from the historical record. 704 00:38:55,634 --> 00:38:57,734 And this coincidence extends to 705 00:38:57,734 --> 00:39:01,066 the location of the tomb of Saint Mark. 706 00:39:01,100 --> 00:39:04,634 ANDREW: There's a medieval map, which says that the body of 707 00:39:04,634 --> 00:39:09,100 Saint Mark was discovered just inside the eastern gate of 708 00:39:09,100 --> 00:39:10,634 the medieval city. 709 00:39:10,634 --> 00:39:14,166 That's a highly significant location, because it 710 00:39:14,233 --> 00:39:16,634 appears to have been the central crossroads. 711 00:39:19,634 --> 00:39:22,367 NARRATOR: The central crossroads is where Alexander's 712 00:39:22,433 --> 00:39:25,734 famous mausoleum is said to have been. 713 00:39:25,800 --> 00:39:28,100 That means there's a coincidence in place 714 00:39:28,100 --> 00:39:30,233 as well as the coincidence in time. 715 00:39:31,467 --> 00:39:33,734 NARRATOR: The chance discovery of Saint Mark in 716 00:39:33,734 --> 00:39:36,967 the location of Alexander's mausoleum happens at 717 00:39:37,000 --> 00:39:38,266 a suspicious time. 718 00:39:40,533 --> 00:39:43,166 it's just when the worship of non-Christian gods 719 00:39:43,233 --> 00:39:46,266 is banned in Egypt and across the Roman Empire. 720 00:39:48,266 --> 00:39:49,240 Andrew believes the body of Alexander 721 00:39:49,240 --> 00:39:50,433 Andrew believes the body of Alexander 722 00:39:50,500 --> 00:39:54,467 the Great is purposefully re-identified. 723 00:39:54,467 --> 00:39:57,166 There are probably a couple of strong reasons 724 00:39:57,233 --> 00:40:02,166 for relabeling the body of Alexander as Saint Mark. 725 00:40:02,166 --> 00:40:05,467 The first of them is that he was a god 726 00:40:05,467 --> 00:40:07,734 of the Greco-Roman pantheon, 727 00:40:07,734 --> 00:40:10,066 and that was embarrassing when paganism had 728 00:40:10,100 --> 00:40:11,266 just been made illegal. 729 00:40:11,266 --> 00:40:16,066 The Christians also needed a great icon to be a focus for 730 00:40:16,100 --> 00:40:18,734 the worship of Christianity in Alexandria, 731 00:40:18,800 --> 00:40:19,240 and it seems they didn't have the body of Saint Mark, 732 00:40:19,240 --> 00:40:22,100 and it seems they didn't have the body of Saint Mark, 733 00:40:22,100 --> 00:40:25,800 because it had reputedly been burnt in the 1st century AD. 734 00:40:28,367 --> 00:40:30,634 NARRATOR: Andrew suspects Alexander lies in 735 00:40:30,700 --> 00:40:33,634 the tomb of Saint Mark for 300 years, 736 00:40:35,467 --> 00:40:39,100 until he is taken to Venice in 828 CE, 737 00:40:40,467 --> 00:40:44,266 and the Basilica di San Marco, where he lies to this day. 738 00:40:53,467 --> 00:40:56,166 Experts still search for the lost tomb 739 00:40:56,166 --> 00:40:57,734 of Alexander the Great. 740 00:40:58,467 --> 00:41:01,634 It is one of history's most enduring mysteries. 741 00:41:03,967 --> 00:41:07,266 He is buried first in Memphis before his body 742 00:41:07,266 --> 00:41:11,433 is moved to the capital city of his empire, Alexandria. 743 00:41:12,533 --> 00:41:15,533 He is later reburied in the Soma, 744 00:41:15,533 --> 00:41:19,100 a mausoleum comparable in size and grandeur 745 00:41:19,100 --> 00:41:19,240 to the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. 746 00:41:19,240 --> 00:41:21,634 to the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. 747 00:41:21,634 --> 00:41:24,967 Though his tomb vanishes from history, 748 00:41:24,967 --> 00:41:27,467 his body may survive.