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Ptolemy 'hijacked' the funeral carriage as it was enroute to Macedon from Babylon. He claimed Alexander had wished to be buried at Siwah, in Egypt. There was no way to lug the carriage across the desert, so the body was entombed in Alexandria and was still there in Cleopatra's time. The tomb recently discovered in Siwah was likely just a 'token tomb' and has not been proven to be the 'real one'.

May I ask why his loyal followers did not cremate him which was the Greek manner of burial?Was it a facsimile of his body that lay in the tomb in Alexandria, or supposedly his real body, and why on earth would they carry his body across the desert?I have a book in which I see the picture of the tomb which carried him across the desert, and its full description. Usually, juvenile or children's books have more illustrations than the adult books, so that there are many illustrations in the books by Maureen Ash and Gail Stewart.The tomb which holds his body is in pure gold, and created quite a procession in this long funeral march. But I still wonder at why they didn't simply cremate his body, as he had been known to say that he even would have selected the Persian's Tower of Silence method as well.Anybody know?I certainly do not believe that he lies at the bottom of Daniel's tomb in a glass coffin. That is totally ridiculous to me. Knowing his repuation and his ability to draw interest to so many worldwide, nobody would ever have done him such a disservice as that, I would imagine and hope.

The body was embalmed in Babylon. (Bodies had to be buried or disposed of immediately and this was summer time and very hot.) The body was kept (embalmed) for about a year (as long as it took for them to build the magnificent funeral carriage that would carry it back to Macedon.) There was a belief that whoever held the body held the power. And it was customary for the Macedonian kings to be buried in the royal tombs at Aigai. Hence they decided to cart it all the way back home. But en route, at the coast, Ptolemy hijacked the carriage and body and took it to Egypt, intending to inter it at Siwah (as he claimed Alexander had wished). However, it was too heavy a carriage to lug across the desert sands so instead he built a tomb for it in Alexandria and that's where it was until last reported during Roman times.

Greetings,
The body of ATG had become a symbol of power, so his final wishes were not granted. It is interesting that folklore held that if the time came when a king was not buried in Makedon, the kingdom would fall. Folklore today still holds that the body will bring power to whomever possesses it, which is why so many people want to claim it.. and why I hope it is never found.
As always, politics are more important than dead men's wishes.

Let us not forget that he was the King of Greece, Lord of Asia, and Pharoh of Egypt. In ancient Egypt
the Pharohs were not cremated. They were embalmed, as was Alexander.I believe that he is somewhere out in Siwa. The local legends say that a great King was brought there for burial.There are many local customs that resemble the Macedonian dress and locals that wear the Macedonian Star.It is also a isolated place where robbers or theives would have a hard time finding his body.Ptolemy was also a trusted companion and would have done what Alexander wished. But Alexandria is also a possibility along with the Vatican according to Ruthaki. All the Best ! D.HATGISTAVROU

Hi D.HATGISTAVROU I can't agree that Alexander was the king of Greece! In fact he tried as much as he could to not use such name at the begenning of his reign. He was hegemon of Corinthian League but king of Macedonia! After that he was lord of Asia and Pharaoh of Egipt - but I agree that he didn't try to keep macedonian customs in unchanged form. He spread greek and macedonian culture all over the (known) world but customs he adopted the best parts from each country - still he had because of it strong oposition in his companions.
Maciek