KULTURA / CULTURE
IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE WORLD’S CONQUEROR Alexander the Great’s Aegean circle We’ve combined Air Serbia’s summer destinations with the map of the conquest of one of history’s greatest military leaders to create a travelogue combining the turquoise waves of the Aegean and the eternal glory of antiquity J uly is when we usually seek to reinvigorate in the sea, but this season we invite you, be- tween dips in the drink, to fol- low the route taken almost two and a half thousand years ago by the young Macedonian king we know to- day as Alexander the Great. From the Gulf of Thessaloniki and the shores of Macedonia, through the cultural heart of Athens, all the way to the mythical Troy, Ephesus and Turkey’s Bodrum, we sail and fly along this route that forever changed the course of civilisation. Where it all began Our Aegean journey naturally be- gins in Thessaloniki. Despite the city having been founded by King Cassander around 20 years after Alexander‘s death (and named after Alexander‘s half-sis- ter, Thessalonike), it is today the ideal springboard to explore the cradle of an- cient Macedonia. Just an hour’s drive from Thessaloni- ki’s Macedonia Airport is Pella, the birth- place of Alexander the Great, where he was born in 356 BC. The tranquil coun- tryside of this area is today home to an
FOTO: Depositphotos
From Amphipolis to Kavala
impressive archaeological site and mu- seum, where you can stand on the very spot where the young prince learned to ride his trusty Bucephalus. Not far from there is Vergina, the first capital of the ancient kingdom of Macedonia and the site where Alexander’s father, King Phil- ip II, is buried in a monumental tomb in a subterranean burial complex. The gold- en casket and the king’s crown of golden oak leaves inside the peaceful mound is as breathtaking a sight to behold as the most beautiful sunset over the sea. History has also prepared a special gem for Halkidiki beachgoers. On the east coast of the peninsula, near the pop- ular resort of Olympiada, is ancient Sta- gira, birthplace of Aristotle. It was here, in the nearby Sanctuary of Mieza, that Aristotle taught the young Alexander as his personal tutor for three years, in- stilling in him a love for Homeric poet- ry, medicine and philosophy. You can imagine that while sunbathing on the beautiful beaches of Olympiada: on the same shores, under the shade of ol- ive trees, where antiquity’s wisest man shaped the mind of the world’s most powerful ruler.
Advancing eastwards along the Aege- an coast towards Kavala and the emerald island of Thasos, we reach Amphipolis. Today a serene coastal town, it represent- ed a key naval base in the time of Alexan- der. It was from here that his fleet set sail for Asia. This site has been in the world spotlight over recent years due to the dis- covery of the monumental Kasta Tomb, the largest burial mound ever discov- ered in Greece, which archaeologists be- lieve was intended for Alexander‘s closest companions: his closest friend and army general Hephaestion; or his wife, Roxana. A little further on is Kavala, which was known as Neapolis in ancient times and represents the main maritime gate- way to the magnificent city of Philippi that was founded by King Philip II. Hol- idaymakers who today enjoy the long sand beaches of Keramoti or explore the hidden coves of Thasos actually navigate the same naval route as ancient Macedo- nian warships. Thasos itself, which is fa- mous for its white marble, was a strategi- cally important point with resources that were secured by Alexander‘s generals be- fore heading further eastwards.
56 | Istorija » History
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