New Study Debunks Theory That Vergina Tomb Belongs to Philip II of Macedon!
A recently published study in the Journal of Archaeological Science has cast serious doubt on a long-standing theory about one of ancient Greece’s most renowned royal tombs. For decades, the so-called Tomb of Persephone at the Great Tumulus in Vergina was believed to be the final resting place of Philip II of Macedon—the father of Alexander the Great. But new findings suggest this may not be the case after all.
Photo Credit: From Andronikos (1994), with the permission of the editor prof. Ch. Saatsoglou-Paliadeli
Discovered in 1977 in northern Greece, the royal burial complex at Aigai (modern-day Vergina) includes several tombs thought to belong to members of the Argead dynasty, the ruling family of ancient Macedonia. One of these, known as Tomb I, was traditionally thought to hold the remains of Philip II, along with his young wife Cleopatra Eurydice and their infant son. Their deaths in 336 BCE have long been attributed to political assassinations—possibly orchestrated by Olympias, Philip’s former wife and Alexander’s mother—to clear the way for Alexander’s rise to power.
However, an international team led by Dr Yannis Maniatis has taken a fresh look at the evidence using a range of scientific techniques, including radiocarbon dating, DNA analysis, isotopic studies, and skeletal examination. The conclusion? The bones in Tomb I do not belong to Philip II or his immediate family.
The man buried in the tomb was aged between 25 and 35 and stood about 167 cm tall. Radiocarbon dating places his death between 388 and 356 BCE—well before Philip II was assassinated in 336 BCE. A young woman, aged 18 to 25, was also buried in the tomb at roughly the same time. Together, the findings rule out the possibility that this is Philip’s burial site, despite what many had believed for years.
Photo Credit: Richard Mortel
Interestingly, the tomb had been looted—probably during the 3rd century BCE—which may have allowed later intrusions. Archaeologists also found the remains of at least six infants and some animals dating from the Roman period (150 BCE to 130 CE), suggesting the tomb was reused centuries later as a burial site for Roman-era newborns.
While the true identities of the man and woman remain unknown, the elaborate frescoes and craftsmanship of the tomb suggest they were people of high status—possibly royalty. Some scholars have put forward the names of Amyntas III (Alexander the Great’s grandfather) or his sons Alexander II and Perdiccas III, both of whom died within the revised date range.
Isotope analysis adds another layer to the story: the man likely spent his early years outside the regions of Pella or Vergina—perhaps in the northwest or southern parts of Greece—while the woman seems to have been local to the Pella area.
In light of all this, the study concludes that earlier theories about the tomb’s occupants no longer hold up under scientific scrutiny. Although the mystery isn’t fully solved, these new findings significantly reshape what we thought we knew about the royal burials of ancient Macedonia.