Theft

[Pamm]

Hello. I was just reading the article on this site about Alexanders burial. I knew that many things were stolen from him but the article mentions that his nose was stolen. How strange, is this true?

[marcus]

Well, not strictly 'stolen'; but the story goes that it was accidentally broken off. Kind of conjures up images of Michael Jackson ...CheersMarcus

[ancientlibrary]

What's the source for that?

[manny05]

Dear Pamm---Harry Tzalas says the story is "apochryphal," i.e., like the mythical weapons of mass destruction. It goes like this: when Octavian (Augustus) paid a visit, he bent forward to kiss Alexander's mummy on the forehead or something and must have lost his balance and accidentally broke Alex's proboscis. This scene is worth a dozen csi-reconstruction experiments, including one where instinctively Augustus grabbed hold of the most prominent object within reach to prevent his fall. If and when Alexander's mummy turns up, we will know the real score. Harry is a world-renowned authority on Alexander's missing tomb. Check him out.Dr. Manny
Archaelogical Rhinoplasticist

[pam]

LOL LOL LOL - yes but even as a mummy I think he would have looked better than Michael.

[pam]

Thank you very much Manny.

[amyntoros]

Though Harry Tzalas is probably right about the story being apochryphal, I knew I had seen it somewhere in an ancient source. Found it again in Cassius Dio.(LI.16) . . . After this he viewed the body of Alexander and actually touched it, whereupon, it is said, a piece of the nose was broken off. But he declined to view the remains of the Ptolemies, though the Alexandrians were extremely eager to show them, remarking, "I wished to see a king, not corpses." For this same reason he would not enter the presence of Apis, either, declaring that he was accustomed to worship gods, not cattle.Amyntoros

[lucian]

I always laugh when I read that. One would think that Augustus would suck up just a little more to Egypt, since he wanted to be seen as a good guy, and he makes that statement. Noble of him to kiss Alexander, but no matter how much I love the latter, I would not touch a mummy, let alone kiss one.

[marcus]

Amyntoros replied before I could - Cassius Dio, LI.Thanks, Amyntoros - saved me having to trawl through and find it! :-)ATBMarcus

[jan]

I remember when someone did the same to the Pieta years ago, vaguely now, crying out that he was Jesus Christ at the time. I find that a bit more suitable to a comparison of a mummified body than to compare it to someone like Michael Jackson.

[marcus]

Hi Jan,Why?CheersMarcus

[manny05]

Ye child of your culture. Or not. Up to the 20th century people still ground bits of mummy to sell as medicinal tea or potion or aphrodisiac or tonic. And this were just mummies of nobodies from Egypt. Imagine drinking a glass of Alexander tea. So that if his nose is missing, you know which part of his body that tea is from. Good for colds, stuffy nose, breathing problems, etc. But what if its the capital of his manhood that's missing? And while you're not a big tea drinker, you keep an open mind? What then?Mani
Alexander's Royal House of Tea
"We serve it hot!"

[marcus]

But did Augustus really care whether he was seen as a good or a bad guy? As it was, Cleopatra hadn't been *hugely* popular, at least early in her reign; so when you have just had the last of the royal house die on you, and you are in complete control of the entire kingdom and its corn, you probably don't really care that much whether you are being rude about said royal house. It was probably a case of "So I was rude about the Ptolemies ... what are you going to do about it, eh?"ATBMarcus