Have archaeologists found the lost tomb of Alexander the Great’s gay lover?

Archaeologists exploring a huge structure near Thessaloniki believe it was built as a memorial to Alexander the Great’s beloved friend and general Hephaestion and they say they have the evidence to prove it

Alexander the Great (left) and Hephaestion's busts sit side-by-side at the Getty Villa Museum in Malibu, California

Photo by Nealwiththedeal

02 October 2015 by Andrew Potts

Archaeologists exploring a huge ancient structure near Thessaloniki in Greece that dates to the time of Alexander the Great say they now know who it may have been built as a memorial to.

The so-called Kasta Tomb, also known as the Amphipolis Tomb, was discovered in 2012 after decades of excavations into a huge man-made mound near the ancient city of Amphipolis.
The tomb itself was only entered in 2014, and it was found to dwarf that of even Alexander the Great’s father, Phillip of Macedon in its grandness, with stone sphinxes and colossal female statues guarding the tomb.
The size of the tomb lead many to suspect it could hold the body of Alexander himself – though ancient sources say his body remained in Alexandria in Egypt until at least the reign of the Roman Emperor Caracalla (198 AD-217 AD) – over five hundred years after his death.
However the archaeologists investigating the site now believe the structure was built on the orders of Alexander for his general Hephaestion – who many believe was more than just his best friend since childhood and actually his lover.
Lead archaeologist Katerina Peristeri told a conference in Thessaloniki this week that they had discovered artefacts at the site that were marked with the seal of Alexander’s architect Deinokrates – suggesting he designed the structure on the orders of Alexandria.
They also discovered an abbreviated inscription which they believe reads, ‘I, Antigonus received construction material for the erection of a monument in honor of Hephaestion.’
Antigonus was one of Alexander’s top generals so it is possible that he was charged with building a permanent monument to Hephaestion in their homeland.
Hephaestion’s death is said to have broken Alexander and he followed Hephaestion into the grave just eight months later in 323 BC, having established an empire that stretched from Greece to Egypt in the south and as far as India to the east.
Alexander is said to have executed the doctor who failed to save Hephaestion when he fell ill in Persia, and he had the local temple to Asclepius (the Greek god of medicine) raised to the ground in his fury.
Alexander is said to have cut his hair short for Hephaestion’s funeral and placed a lock of his hair in Hephaestion’s hand before the funerary pyre was lit in emulation of the hero Achillies’ last gift to his friend Patroclus.
Achillies and Patroclus are also believed to have been lovers.
Ancient sources say Hephaestion’s ashes were taken from Persia to Babylon but it was not known whether they remained there.
Whether Hephaestion’s ashes are actually in the Kasta Tomb is unknown as Alexander reportedly ordered that multiple shrines to him be built across his empire.
But for now further digging at the site has been halted due to austerity measures by the Greek government and it is unknown when work will be able to resume on the site.