Funeral's rites in Macedonia

[kasia]

Hi everyone!
My name is Kasia, I'm from Poland and I used to be a member of this forum years ago. At present I'm a student of archeology, second year. I'm interested in Alexander's history for years and that's why I decided to write an essey (requisite to pass a term) connected with Macedonia and Argead's dynasty.

It's about funeral's rite in Macedonia during rule of Argead's dynasty. I've found in polish books, articles etc. almost nothing. From Hammond's book ("The Macedonian State. The origins, institutions and history") I know that if it's going about ancient sources I have to refer to Diodorus, Marcus Iunianus Iustinus and Quintus Curtius Rufus (hope I've written names correctly).

I have a real problem with finding something more, especially in english (maybe because I'm not good at searching things in internet ). Maybe some of you know some articles or websites connected with this, or just is able to write me something more about this problem.

I would be grateful if you could help me!

(and sorry for my english. I'm not even sure if it's good or bad, but I hope you've understood my message )

[jasonxx]

Hi The Funeral Rights

Is something that has puzzled me In focus Alexander.

I guess it fare to say that Ancient Greek, Macedonians etc were all traditionaly cremated by way of Funeral Pyre. I guess as far back as the days of Troy.

I think it an exception that Alexander was kept and mummified intact. I wonder if that was alexanders wish or basically a propoganda emblem for the Cronies who followed him.

One would expect if it was Alexanders wish to be treated as an Egyptian Macedonian god king i think it would be more fitting to have a proper as safe as could be tomb of the magnitude of the Egyptian pharoas Piramids.

To be honest I dint think Alexanders Succesors gave a rats arse about Alexander and his wishe. I think in the Old macedonian tradition in keeping with achiles Alexander would have chosen pyre.

all he was left was a Glass coffin to be put on Display like Lenin.

kenny

[Vergina Sun]

It's interesting to think about Alexander and cremation. I agree with Kenny on this issue. However, it was a very good piece of propaganda. If they had cremated him, it would seem his death to be final, complete. His ashes are gone, and so is he. By keeping him alive, everyone could see him. I'm not sure that's the kind of death I would want, and I'm not sure if that's what Alexander wanted either. But by keping his body, he was still there, you could see him, or at least know his body is intact and not sparse like ashes. I'm probably off topic now, but I suppose my main pont is that by not cremating Alexander, even his death became powerful and full of propaganda.

[ruthaki]

I don't believe that Alexander really intended (or even dreamed) that his body would have been kept on display for as long as it was, or at all. I think he really wanted to be entombed, like the pharoahs, in Egypt.

As for the funeral rites, the tombs at Vergina have a really interesting display of the cremation site of Philip with all the funeral offerings that were found. And their tombs were quite elaborate both inside and out, like small temples.

Although Alexander's body was preserved for the long trek back to Egypt (which was probably a publicity stunt to prove he was dead ???) I'm certain he would have expected to be interred in a mausoleum like Cyrus or a tomb-like structure as was common for the Macedonians even though it might have been in Egypt, , instead of his homeland.

[ruthaki]

Can anyone enlighten me as to how a traitor would be buried in Macedon? Would they be allowed the usual funeral rites, cremation, or just dumped somewhere and their body left for the carrion birds? I am thinking specifically of the murder of Aristonous at Amphipolis (on Kassandros orders). Was he ever given a proper burial?

[athenas owl]

ruthaki....

I can't recall much off the top of my head, but I am reminded of the mass graves found around Pydna.

http://environmentalarchaeology.wordpre ... r-slavery/

Don't know if that would help. Oh and weren't at least one of Philip's assassins, or rather their body, after having been publicly displayed (maybe mutilated), was burned above Philip's own body on his pyre?

[derek]

Pausanias' body was originally hung from a tree, and cremating it on Philip's own pyre was only due to Olympias mocking Philip. Also, I read somewhere that criminals were crucified in Macedonia and the 2,000 crucified at Tyre was in imitation of that (treating them as mere criminals instead of honourably defeated soldiers), so I'd say the bodies of criminals and traitors were more likely left to rot.

Derek

[Yee]

I thought of starting a new thread but since it's just a small question about the movie Alexander(whom many state was inaccurate I think),I think it's not really worth starting a new thread so I just picked a thread which had the nearest subject at hand.

What really were they trying to depict at the end when Alexander died and the banner of Zoroaster and the large double winged eagle above him kept on appearing in his blurred vision? The other generals around him were asking who he would choose as a sucessor.If he keeps on seeing the man in the banner,that means he chose Zoroaster as his sucessor?That totally wouldn't make sense since Zoroaster is long dead by then.

Or unless the movie makers just wanted to use an eagle symbol above him to mean that his mother's forseen myth of the "eagle flying above the snake and killing it" came true.

[agesilaos]

Can't say I recall the scene too well, but I should think it merely symbolises his conquest of the Achaemenid empire the banner being its Royal standard.

[ruthaki]

I just took it that it was the symbol of the King in Persia and the King (Shah) was the embodiment of the god Ahura Mazda, so it was symbolic of Alexander in that way, that he was the supreme ruler, guided (or born) of the God. I didn't really note any other symbolism in it and i've seen the movie several times, each time watching particular details.

[ruthaki]

In regards to the mass graves found at Pydna, could they have been the mass burials of all those who died within the fortress when the seige happened while Olympias and the others were trapped there by Kassandros men? When I visited Pynda some years ago I had the privilege of meeting with one of the archaeologists at the site. He's the one who discovered the remains of the trench Kassandros had built around the fortress and said they were looking for Olympias' grave although they knew her body would likely have been later moved to the royal tombs at
Vergina. At that time I guess they had not yet discovered the mass grave so that is quite exciting information.