Latest News

 
Now Published

New: Alexander the Great in India - A Reconstruction of Cleitarchus

The most influential account of the career of Alexander the Great was penned by Cleitarchus the son of Deinon, a Greek writing in Alexandria in the decades after Alexander's death. Most of the surviving ancient texts on Alexander were more or less based upon his work, but every single copy of the original was discarded or destroyed in antiquity. To what extent might it be possible to reconstruct it from the secondary writings? This book argues that a considerable degree of reconstruction is feasible and demonstrates the point by presenting a full reconstruction of Cleitarchus' version of Alexander's campaigns in India, the first time that this has been done.

Click HERE for details!

Previously published: The Quest for the Tomb of Alexander the Great

In these pages the author lays bare the forgotten secrets of one of the greatest mysteries bequeathed to us by the ancient world. His new perspective will surely fascinate any reader with a sense of curiosity about the past. It remains significantly possible that the fate of Alexander's tomb will turn out to be the greatest archaeological story of the 21st century. In addition, the author's published academic articles on the subject of Alexander's mysterious death and elusive tomb are reproduced as appendices. Over 80 illustrations, 324 pages.

Click HERE to download the Press Release for The Quest for the Tomb of Alexander the Great in a 162kByte pdf file.

Click HERE for details!

 
Latest News
April 2024 – The Pharos lighthouse in Alexandria now published by Routledge

There was a Press Release entitled The Tomb of Alexander the Great & the Graves

Andrew Chugg’s new book on “The Pharos Lighthouse in Alexandria: Second Sun & Seventh Wonder of Antiquity” has now been published and is available to order from the publisher Routledge’s website or elsewhere including Amazon. The top-quality hardback is printed to a high standard on premium paper stock for durability in libraries. However, the book can also be read more cheaply by buying the eBook on Amazon or still more cheaply by hiring the eBook for a six month period via the publisher’s website. See: https://www.routledge.com/The-Pharos-Lighthouse-In-Alexandria-Second-Sun-and-Seventh-Wonder-of-Antiquity/Chugg/p/book/9781032569369  



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March 2024 – Filming the Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great in the British Museum
Andrew Chugg spent the evening of Saturday 16th March 2024 right up to midnight filming after hours in an almost deserted British Museum with a film crew and presenter for an exciting forthcoming TV documentary featuring the sarcophagus made for Nectanebo II, but used instead to entomb the mummified corpse of Alexander the Great. For an account of the history of this sarcophagus you can download and read Andrew Chugg’s paper published in the classics journal Greece & Rome here: https://www.academia.edu/6809258/The_Sarcophagus_of_Alexander_the_Great

 





(click photo to view in large)
 

March 2024 – Forthcoming book on the Pharos lighthouse in Alexandria
A new book on “The Pharos Lighthouse in Alexandria: Second Sun & Seventh Wonder of Antiquity” by Andrew Michael Chugg will be published by Routledge on 12th March 2024. This comprehensive and insightful book brings scientific rigor to the problems of reconstructing the Pharos Lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and understanding how it functioned as the archetypal lighthouse in antiquity, when it was described as a “second Sun”. Conceived by Alexander the Great and designed by Sostratus, the Pharos lighthouse stood as an iconic landmark of Alexandria for sixteen centuries until felled by a calamitous earthquake in the fourteenth century. The study of this great lighthouse has been neglected relative to other ancient Wonders such as the Great Pyramid of Giza. This book reconstructs the tower, its lustrous light, stunning statues and astounding story in diligent detail through archaeological evidence and surviving antique texts and images, providing a fresh evaluation of the Pharos, its history, and its legacy. The Roman writer Achilles Tatius termed the Pharos a “second Sun”; this expression is explained and explored here for the first time, and has dramatic implications for the nature of the Pharos’ light. The volume also explores how the creation of the Pharos was a key stimulus for Alexandrian science and astronomy in antiquity. See: https://www.routledge.com/The-Pharos-Lighthouse-In-Alexandria-Second-Sun-and-Seventh-Wonder-of-Antiquity/Chugg/p/book/9781032569369

 

 

2022 – The Routledge Companion to the Reception of Ancient Greek and Roman Gender and Sexuality, edited by K.R.Moore

Andrew Chugg has authored two of the chapters in this volume.

Chaper 9 - Ancient and Modern Receptions of Eunuchs with a Focus on Alexander’s Bagoas

A discussion of the roles and importance of eunuchs employed by monarchs since the dawn of history with a special focus on Bagoas, the Royal Eunuch of the Persian king Darius III and his adoption into the administration of Alexander the Great. Bagoas is revealed as a prototype for the royal eunuchs of later Greek and Roman monarchs. His importance to Alexander's administration is shown through his influence in the Persianisation of the regime as well as in his role as one of Alexander's lovers. Possible references to the continuation of his career under Seleucus and Antiochus are explored for the first time.

Chapter 27 - Graeco-Roman Worship of the Beloved: The Ancient and Modern Cults of Antinous

This chapter reveals the exact manner of the drowning of Antinous in the Nile opposite Hermopolis in late October of AD130. It traces the subsequent foundation of both the cult and the city of Antinous by Hadrian and describes the bitter clash between the new religion and the early Christian church. New strands of evidence are explored in the hunt for the tomb of Antinous and his influence on the modern world is evaluated. Finally, the rebirth of the cult of Antinous and its recent promulgation by means of the internet are described.

Click here to read more

 

2021, Macedonian Studies Journal, Volume II, Issue 1 – The Identity of the Occupant of the Amphipolis Tomb Beneath the Kasta Mound

The ancient monument known as the Kasta Mound lying just outside the ancient Macedonian city of Amphipolis has been subject to continual excavation since the 1960s, but in August of 2014, the site came to extraordinary prominence when its archaeologists announced the discovery of chambers beneath the mound, which have become known as the Amphipolis Tomb. This monument is of interest to the study of ancient history, because it is the largest and most magnificently decorated tomb ever discovered in Greece and because it appears to date to the immediate aftermath of the reign of Alexander the Great. However, a particular focus of interest is the question of the identity of the person for whom this complex was constructed, because it must have been an individual of exceptional importance. Yet the solution that has been proposed by the archaeologists is quite at odds with our understanding of the history of events after Alexander’s death as portrayed by the written sources and all other evidence to date.

Click here to read more

 

Autumn 2020 – Was Alexander the Great Originally Interred in the Usurped Sarcophagus of Nectanebo II? In KMT: A Modern Journal of Egyptology, Volume 31, Number 3, Fall 2020

This article reviews the new evidence of the fit between the Star-Shield Block in Venice and the Nectanebo II sarcophagus in the British Museum. In a firmly evidence-based approach as required by this scientific discipline, it shows that the concordance between these two artifacts is too precise to be accounted for by chance at any significant probability. The inevitable conclusion is that the Nectanebo II sarcophagus was used by Ptolemy for Alexander’s entombment and that the star-Shield Block is part of an outer casing added by one of the early Ptolemies. Therefore, the chance that the skeleton from a perished mummy now housed within the high altar of the Basilica di San Marco in Venice is that of Alexander the Great is high and verification through an independent scientific investigation is overdue.

Click here to read more

 

July 2020 – Breakthroughs in the Search for Alexander's Lost Tomb - Ancient Heroes Podcast 290720
An Ancient Heroes Podcast in which I am interviewed regarding the new evidence confirming the theory regarding Alexander's mummy having been re-labelled as that of St Mark the Evangelist in Alexandria at the time that paganism was outlawed by the Christian Roman Emperor Theodosius in AD391-392. Please follow this link to listen: http://ancientheroes.net/blog/alexander-tomb-breakthrough-notes

 

 

March 2020 – Ancient Origins article on Alexander’s Tomb discoveries

There was a Press Release entitled The Tomb of Alexander the Great & the Graves of the Last Pharaohs concerning the implications of the newly discovered fit between the Nectanebo II sarcophagus and the Star-Shield Block (right) in early March 2020, which led to a story entitled “Has the Location of Alexander the Great’s Tomb Finally Been Identified?” on the popular Ancient Origins website here:

https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/alexander-greats-tomb-0013374

 

 

February 2020 – British Museum changes its stance on Alexander’s tomb

On 11th February 2020 following email discussions with Andrew Chugg, the Egyptian Department of the British Museum (Dr Elisabeth R. O’Connell, Duty Curator) agreed to change the wording under “Curator’s Comments” on the Museum’s website page for the Nectanebo II sarcophagus (image on the right from 1888) from “This object was incorrectly believed to be associated with Alexander the Great when it entered the collection in 1803.” to “This object was believed to be associated with Alexander the Great when it entered the collection in 1803.” This highly significant change is scheduled to be implemented at the end of March 2020 and has the effect that after 200 years of sceptical curatorship the British Museum no longer dismisses the association between the sarcophagus and Alexander’s tomb. The British Museum website page is currently at this address: https://research.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=111535&partId=1

 

January 2020 – The rarest coins issued by Alexander the Great

The so-called Porus medallions of Alexander the Great – crucial historical numismatic objects or clever counterfeits? By Michael E. Habicht, Andrew M. Chugg, Elena Varotto, Francesco M. Galassi published in JNAA Vol 29, January 2020.

The paper discusses the so-called Porus medallions associated with the military campaign of Alexander the Great (356-323 BC) in northern India, and specifically with the battle of the Hydaspes in the early Summer of 326 BC. At the present time, three types of silver medallion (of coin weight) and a unique gold medallion are known. The authors assess the propaganda message, and the doubts concerning the authenticity of some of these types.
 

January 2020 – Third Extended Edition of The Quest for the Tomb of Alexander the Great

This dramatic new third edition unveils fresh evidence revealing a hitherto unnoticed connection between a Macedonian funerary sculpture found in the foundations of the Basilica di San Marco in Venice and the sarcophagus of an Egyptian Pharaoh shipped to London from Alexandria in 1801. The previous editions of this book traced the trails of these relics to show that both might have come from Alexander’s tomb in Alexandria. In this extended account, it is demonstrated that the sculptural relief was perfectly fitted to the sarcophagus, a fact hitherto obscured by ancient damage to the relief and more modern trimming of the sarcophagus at the hands of the British Museum. The author writes: “When I embarked upon the deck of this Odyssey, it seemed to me that shipwreck was my eventual destiny, but now beyond the raging, roiling sea, I have glimpsed the shore of verdant Valinor unveiled before me. Though I may yet come to grief upon some reef, washed by waves of disbelief, I voyage on to vindication, my vessel’s ordained destination. With greatness grazing on the verge of rediscovery, we may surely see the resolution of this mystery. So let my sail now be unfurled to catch the wind and win the world Alexander’s long-lost legacy, the parted parts of his shattered tomb and battered body.” Available late January 2020 through Amazon and other online bookshops.

 

August 2019 – Research Trip to Venice

Andrew Chugg visited Venice for a couple of days (2nd-3rd August) to pursue his research on alexander’s tomb. He visited the Star-Shield block in the cloister of St Apollonia, the Church’s sculptural museum just across the canal behind San Marco in the photo. The measurements made have led to a new verification of the St Mark connection.

 

March 2019 – Filming in Alexandria for a New Documentary

Andrew Chugg was filmed in Cambridge UK and in Alexandria in Egypt during March 2019 for a forthcoming TV documentary concerning some of the monuments of ancient Alexandria. The photo shows Andrew during filming at the excavated ancient Roman Theatre in central Alexandria on 28th March. It can be seen that the ancient street level was about 10m below the modern city. It is hoped to post more news on this production in the coming months.

 

January 2018 – New Data on the Death of Alexander

Andrew Chugg has finalised his paper on “Disease and the Death of Alexander the Great”, which will be published in the Proceedings of the Disease and the Ancient World Symposium hosted by Oxford University in September 2017. The conclusion is that Alexander was very probably killed by a species of mosquito called Anopheles Stephensi, which still kills tens of thousands of people each year nowadays. The paper will appear in 2019.

 

September 2017 – Alexander’s Death Presentation at Oxford

Andrew Chugg gave a paper on the topic of Disease and the Death of Alexander the Great at the Disease and the Ancient World Symposium on Saturday 23rd September at Green Templeton College in the University of Oxford. For a pdf of Andrew’s presentation please click here. The paper explains that the disease statistics from the British Army in Mesopotamia in 1916-18 are a good proxy for the experience of Alexander’s army and the king himself.

 

February 2017 – New iTunes Podcasts on Alexander’s Tomb

Andrew Chugg is interviewed by Patrick Garvey on the subject of the tomb of Alexander the Great in a new podcast for 2017 which is available via this webpage:https://soundcloud.com/ancient-heroes/alexander-the-greats-tomb or via iTunes at this link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-achilles-gene/id1135292842?mt=2

 

September 2016 – New iTunes Podcasts on Alexander and his Divinity

Andrew Chugg is one of several experts interviewed by Patrick Garvey for a set of three podcasts on Alexander the Great. The first episode deals with Alexander’s rivalry with Achilles, his mythical ancestor. The second considers Alexander’s visit to the oracle of Ammon at Siwa and its role in Alexander’s divinisation. The third podcast tackles the topic of Alexander’s relationship with his deputy, Hephaistion. All three episodes are available via this webpage as Alexander the Great, Parts I to III:

http://ancientheroespodcast.com/blog/ or via iTunes using this link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-achilles-gene/id1135292842?mt=2

 



 
 

March 2016 – Proof the Amphipolis Tomb is not Hephaistion’s

The archaeological team has proposed that the Amphipolis Tomb was built to commemorate Hephaistion, the deputy and close personal friend of Alexander the Great, because they noticed rough inscriptions on two blocks that were found in the nearby river a hundred years ago, but which originally came from the wall of the tomb. They have interpreted these graffiti-inscriptions as reading ΠΑΡΕΛΑΒΟΝ ΗΦΑΙΣΤΙΩΝ ΑΝΤ, which could mean that the blocks were received (from the quarry?) for Hephaistion by Antigonus or Antipater. But Andrew Chugg has shown that the fact that the leading pi is missing off both blocks means that they were subsequently shortened in length to fit in the wall of the Amphipolis Tomb. This means that they were not quarried and dressed for the Amphipolis Tomb, but for a previous building project, which was abandoned before its construction. Therefore the Amphipolis Tomb is not Hephaistion’s monument, but the tomb of somebody hugely important and close to the Macedonian Royal Family, who would have inherited ownership of the blocks. This person must have died a few years after the death of Alexander, when the Hephaistion project would have been abandoned. For more details of this revelation, read Andrew Chugg’s latest article at this link: Proof that the Amphipolis Tomb was not built for Hephaistion? See also the news article spurred by this evidence on the Discovery News website here: http://news.discovery.com/history/inscription-spurs-debate-over-mysterious-greek-tomb-160302.htm



 
 

March 2016 – Reconstructing a Frieze in the Amphipolis Tomb

The archaeological team has proposed a rather exotic reconstruction of a badly damaged frieze found in the chamber of the Persephone mosaic high on its party wall with the burial chamber (1st image). They have suggested that the figures either side of a garlanded (sacrificial) bull might be centaurs. But in examining the original photos (2nd image) Andrew Chugg sees no sign of the hindquarters of these “centaurs” and disputes the interpretation of the supposed crescent-shaped gold ornaments hanging in front of their forequarters. Instead Andrew proposes a man and a woman in dancing poses to the left and right of the bull (3rd image) respectively. The woman (4th image) is dancing away from us and wearing a long dress with a peplos and a diagonal band across her back. The man (5th image) is dancing towards us and may also be wearing a diagonal strap and a sword (to perform the sacrifice?) There is also a tall tripod brazier and a Nike blowing a bugle on a ship’s prow. All these features and especially the Nike and the crimson belts worn by the human figures recall the Mysteries of Samothrace at which Alexander’s father, Philip II, met his mother, Olympias.








 
 

Dec 2015 – For Whom was the Amphipolis Tomb constructed?

The archaeological team responsible for the recent excavation campaigns at the Amphipolis Tomb gave a lecture on 30th September 2015 in which they presented evidence which they argued indicates that the monument was built on the orders of Alexander the Great to commemorate his Deputy and close personal friend Hephaistion Amyntoros. Surprisingly, this evidence was unrelated to their excavations, but based on graffiti on marble blocks robbed from the tomb in antiquity and found a century ago re-used in an ancient dam five miles south of the tomb. Hundreds of blocks were long ago found with hundreds of ancient graffiti, virtually all of which appeared to date to centuries after the blocks had been robbed. However, the archaelogists are seeking to argue that a particular pair of graffiti with strange monograms (see picture) containing some of the letters of Hephaistion’s name existed before the blocks were robbed from the tomb. Meanwhile, nearly a year after the bones of a woman of 60+ years of age that were discovered in the tomb were sent for isotopic analysis, an inscrutable silence is being maintained regarding the results. For more details of the thickening plot, read Andrew Chugg’s latest article at this link: Did the Amphipolis Tomb Commemorate Hephaistion?



 
 

Sept 2015 – Now Available: Cleitarchus’s History of Alexander

Andrew Chugg’s epic reconstruction of the History Concerning Alexander the Great by Cleitarchus of Alexandria is now published in its first edition. This highly influential account of the career of Alexander the Great was penned by Cleitarchus half a century after Alexander’s death. Most of the surviving ancient texts on Alexander were based upon this work, but every copy of the original was destroyed in antiquity. Now the entire book has been revived in an exciting reconstruction based upon an in-depth analysis of the surviving ancient works that it inspired. Here you will find Alexander revealed in a startling new light as a very human and believable individual, who drives and is then driven by a momentous cascade of events. Here you can rediscover the oldest and also the most authentic literary portrait of the king spanning all thirteen years of his astounding reign.



 
 

At the time of writing there is no definitive presentation of results by the Amphipolis archaeological team, but there are exciting indications that the dating evidence is stacking up at the early end of the range. Andrew Chugg has shown that previous work on the marble blocks from the peribolos wall indicates a late 4th century BC date and that a small-scale copy of the Amphipolis tomb (photo) dates to the middle of the 3rd century BC. Meanwhile, the Chief Archaeologist, Katerina Peristeri, has announced that the sealing took place before the Romans took over Macedon in 168BC. Her team had suggested a sealing in the 3rd century AD last November, so their revised conclusion is probably informed by their receipt of radiocarbon dates from the labs. If so, the date range is in the earliest bracket running from the mid-4th century BC to just after 200BC. Links to Andrew’s two latest articles on the Amphipolis tomb dealing with the dating issues are given below:

Fresh Insights into the Mystery of the Amphipolis Tomb

The Carbon-14 Dating of the Amphipolis Tomb


 
 

April 2015 - Reconstruction of Cleitarchus's History of Alexander
Andrew is reviewing the proof copies of the final and complete version of his reconstruction of the History Concerning Alexander the Great by Cleitarchus of Alexandria and the book is planned to be published around the middle of 2015. The wraparound cover (see image) is based on a sketch by the author of the mosaic recently discovered at Amphipolis. This depicts the abduction of Persephone by Hades in a chariot guided by Hermes, but Andrew has argued that the mosaicist intended that Persephone should be identified with Olympias, Hades with Philip II, Alexander's father, and the young Hermes with their son Alexander. This publication will complete a ten-year project to reconstruct Cleitarchus's lost work from surviving fragments and the finalised reconstruction runs to 400 pages.

 
 

April 2015 - Amphipolis Tomb update

In January the Greek Ministry of Culture announced that parts of the skeletons of five individuals had been identified among the remains found in the cist tomb grave cut, but the most complete skeleton and the bones that predominantly occupied the grave cut itself (rather than the overlying layers of backfill) was assigned to a woman of at least sixty years of age (see photos). That result is highly consistent with Andrew Chugg's hypothesis that this is the tomb of Alexander's mother, Olympias. Strontium isotope ratio tests on the remains have been commissioned and may show the regions in which the deceased spent their lives. Olympias lived for a long time in Epirus across the mountains from Macedon. Radiocarbon testing of the bones should pin down their date to within a century or so. Andrew is also currently looking at other approaches to dating the tomb. Links to Andrew's latest three articles on the Amphipolis tomb are given below:

Is the Mother of Alexander the Great in the Tomb at Amphipolis? - Part 7

Lingering Mysteries of the Amphipolis Tomb

An Identity Crisis for the Amphipolis Tomb


 




 
 

April 2015 - Andrew Chugg's presentation on the subject of "Napoleon Bonaparte meets Alexander the Great in the French Campaign in Egypt"
Andrew gave this presentation at the NSREC Conference, July 14-18, 2014 in the Marriott Rive Gauche Hotel in Paris to an appreciative audience of hundreds of conference attendees (see photos). Andrew has since distributed a pdf version of his presentation to hundreds of academics via his academia.edu pages and he is now pleased to make it downloadable to visitors to this site via the following link: Napoleon Bonaparte meets Alexander the Great

 

 
 

October 2014 - Tomb of Olympias found at Amphipolis?

Excitement surrounding the excavation of a tomb a stade (160m) in diameter near ancient Amphipolis in Macedonia in Greece is reaching a fever pitch. In August two monumental sphinxes were revealed above the entrance to its underground chambers. In September a pair of caryatids representing priestesses of Dionysus were discovered either side of the passageway leading to its interior. In October a spectacular mosaic depicting the Abduction of Persephone has been uncovered on the floor of the chamber beyond the caryatids. Since early September Andrew Chugg has been producing articles in the form of bulletins to explain these discoveries and particularly to address the question of the identity of the occupant of this enormous tomb in collaboration with the Greek Reporter online newspaper and the Mediterraneo Antiguo website. Evidence has accumulated to suggest that this may be the tomb of Olympias, the mother of Alexander the Great, although this still cannot be confirmed at the time of writing. It may be significant that the closest parallel to the newly discovered sphinxes is another pair of sphinxes found by Auguste Mariette at the Serapeum at Saqqara in Egypt. This is the site that Andrew Chugg has put forward as the likely first tomb of Alexander, prior to his body being relocated to Alexandria in the 3rd century BC. It also appears that the figure of Hermes on the left of the mosaic may double as a portrait of Alexander aged twenty. More thrilling discoveries are expected imminently.
 


 

 

Is the Mother of Alexander the Great in the Tomb at Amphipolis? - Part 1

Is the Mother of Alexander the Great in the Tomb at Amphipolis? - Part 2

Is the Mother of Alexander the Great in the Tomb at Amphipolis? - Part 3

Is the Mother of Alexander the Great in the Tomb at Amphipolis? - Part 4

Is the Mother of Alexander the Great in the Tomb at Amphipolis? - Part 5

Is the Mother of Alexander the Great in the Tomb at Amphipolis? - Part 6


July 2014 Andrew Chugg to present at NSREC Conference, July 14-18, 2014 in the Marriott Rive Gauche Hotel, Paris, on the subject of Napoleon Bonaparte meets Alexander the Great in the French Campaign in Egypt and Syria�

Napoleon�s invasion of Egypt in 1798 eventually developed into a military disaster with the destruction of the French fleet by Nelson whilst it lay at anchor in Aboukir Bay and the later surrender of the entire French Army of the Orient following the Battle of Alexandria in 1801. However the lasting legacy of the expedition has not proved to be military exploits and adventurism but rather scholarly inquiries and investigations, including the discovery of important artefacts such as the Rosetta Stone and a sarcophagus said to have been used for the tomb of Alexander the Great. The research performed by the expedition�s scholars culminated in the publication of the magnificent multi-volume Description de l�Egypte under Napoleon�s patronage in 1809. This talk presents the astonishing story of Napoleon�s fifty intrepid �Savants� and what they saw, heard and deduced during the Napoleonic occupation of Egypt. But it also relates the yet more curious story of another two centuries of further investigation, obfuscation and doubt, which has only recently begun to veer towards vindication. Only in the new millennium has it finally come to seem probable on the evidence that the magnificent ancient sarcophagus now housed in the Egyptian hall of the British Museum provides a unique physical connection between Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar and Napoleon Bonaparte.


Dec 2013 First Edition of Alexander the Great and the Conquest of the Persians due to be published in February 2014

The penultimate part of Andrew Chugg�s reconstruction of the lost History Concerning Alexander the Great by Cleitarchus of Alexandria is due to be published in February 2014 in a print first edition. This will comprise the fourth, fifth and sixth books of Cleitarchus� work covering events from the Battle of Issus to the death of Darius. Although some parts of the new book have been published before in an electronic edition (Amazon Kindle), this will be the first publication of the entire volume. It will also incorporate extensive analyses of some of the key events that occurred within this crucial period of Alexander�s career, such as a re-evaluation of the probable site of the Battle of Gaugamela.


Sept 2013  Alexander's Lovers sales exceed 1000 copies

Sales of Andrew Chugg�s books on Alexander�s tomb exceeded 1000 copies years ago, but in August 2013 sales of another of his books, Alexander�s Lovers, also reached this landmark level. Furthermore, Alexander�s Lover�s has done so exclusively via online outlets with minimal publicity. The thumbnail shows the cover of the second edition of Alexander�s Lovers, which was published in 2012.


August 2013 Books 5 to 13 of the Cleitarchus Reconstruction now on Kindle

The four completed volumes of Andrew Chugg�s reconstruction of the History Concerning Alexander by Cleitarchus of Alexandria have now been made available through Amazon�s Kindle. These volumes are: Alexander the Great and the Defeat and Death of Darius (books 5& 6); Alexander the Great in Afghanistan (books 7 to 9); Alexander the Great in India (books 10 to 12); The Death of Alexander the Great (book 13).  Cleitarchus wrote his influential account of Alexander�s reign in the 3rd century BC, but it has been lost since antiquity. The reconstruction is based on ancient texts that were themselves based upon Cleitarchus. See http://www.amazon.com/Andrew-Chugg/e/B0034Q9K3A/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1


August 2013 Is Alexander entombed at Amphipolis in Macedonia?

Excavations of a large artificial mound at Amphipolis in Macedonia have been underway for some time. A circular peribolos (enclosure wall) of 500m circumference has been uncovered and it is anticipated that the core of the mound conceals the tomb of a significant individual from the last quarter of the 4th century BC. However, press speculation this Summer (e.g. The Mail on 23rd August here) that the individual might be Alexander the Great is unwarranted. All the ancient evidence suggests that Alexander was entombed in Egypt at that time. A better guess for the Amphipolitan tomb would be Alexander�s Bodyguard, Aristonous, who was lord of Amphipolis and who led the armies of Alexander�s mother, Olympias, in her unsuccessful war against Cassander in 316BC.


May 2013 Antique Statuettes of Alexander and the Amazon Queen

A decade ago Andrew Chugg acquired an antique bronze statuette of Alexander riding a horse (Bucephalus?), but the horse was unfortunately missing. This year Andrew acquired a damaged pair of spelter statuettes of Alexander and the Amazon Queen, Thalestris, which had evidently been cast from bronze originals. The Alexander had been cast from the same bronze as Andrew already owned. He was missing his right arm, but still had his steed. Andrew has now therefore been able to mount his bronze Alexander back on the spelter copy of his original horse (see accompanying photo and more photos in the Alexander2 image gallery on this site). This statuette is based on the representations of Alexander produced by Charles le Brun, court painter to the Sun King (Louis XIV), in the 1670�s. It may therefore date back to the early 18th century. Jacques-Louis David�s equestrian portrait of Napoleon is very similar and may have been inspired by this Alexander.


March 2013 Alexander the Great and the Defeat and Death of Darius

The fifth and sixth books of Andrew Chugg�s Reconstruction of Cleitarchus were published on Amazon Kindle in February 2013. They cover the period from the siege of Gaza to the death of Darius, including Alexander�s visit to the Oracle of Ammon at the Siwa oasis, his triumphant victory at Gaugamela and the razing of the palace at Persepolis. The Amazon Kindle page is located here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BGVJCCY
 
The download price is a minimal $3 and a preview is available from the Amazon page (click on "Look Inside"). Please note that you do not need a Kindle viewer, since Amazon provides a FREE software reader for your PC that can be downloaded from here:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=hp_bc_nav?ie=UTF8&nodeId=200488000
 
See also our Cleitarchus Reconstruction page for information on the other published parts of this project: http://www.alexanderstomb.com/main/cleitarchus/index.html 


December 2012 Famous Articles on Alexander�s Tomb Now Posted plus An Engraving of Alexander�s Marriage by Raphael

The famous articles on Alexander�s tomb by Mahmoud Bey, Neroutsos Bey and Count Alexandre-Max de Zogheb have now been posted (in their original French in the Book Scans section of the Image Library of www.alexanderstomb.com) together with an English translation of a less well known Italian article from 1930 by Evaristo Breccia, a former Director of the Graeco-Roman Museum in Alexandria. Several antique engravings are also newly posted in the Alexander2 section of the Image Library, including a version of the gorgeous drawing of Alexander�s wedding to Roxane by Raphael.


July 2012 The Quest for the Tomb of Alexander the Great (2nd Ed.) Now Available for Kindle and Soon Available in Print
The second edition of The Quest for the Tomb of Alexander the Great by Andrew Chugg is now available for download to Amazon�s Kindle devices at this page:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0085NSY2A

The matching print version of the second edition is scheduled to become widely available through online bookshops in August-Sept 2012.

April 2012 Alexander's Lovers (2nd Ed.) Now Available for Kindle

The second edition of Alexander�s Lovers by Andrew Chugg is now available for download to Amazon�s Kindle devices at this page:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007OXZU60

This is the first time that any of Andrew Chugg�s books has been adapted for Kindle.

March 2012 Second Edition of Alexander's Lovers Published

A new edition of Alexander�s Lovers by Andrew Chugg is scheduled for publication in March 2012. This Second Edition is completely revised and updated and has been enhanced by the incorporation of a detailed discussion of Alexander�s deification and an in depth description and analysis of the funeral of Hephaistion. The length has increased from 220 to 260 pages with the addition of extra information on Hephaistion, Bagoas, Roxane, Stateira� see also www.alexanderslovers.com 

 

September 2011 - Mystery Files Episode on Alexander's Body

The Mystery Files episode on Alexander the Great and the fate of his body featuring Andrew Chugg was premiered on schedule on the National Geographic channel in the UK on 7th June 2011 and has since been aired numerous times on this and other National Geographic channels around the world (e.g. Canada). The producers have set up a website at this link with biographies of the experts appearing in the program including Andrew Chugg: http://www.mysteryfiles.com/episodes/season-2/episode-17/alexander-the-great/


May 2011 - Appearance on Mystery Files

Andrew Chugg is expected to appear in the forthcoming Alexander episode of the new series of the Mystery Files, which will premiere on the National Geographic channel in the UK at 19:30 on 7th June 2011. Andrew also appears briefly at 1 minute and 49 seconds into the trailer for the new series, which has been posted by its producers, Parthenon Entertainment, on Youtube at this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqGhP7GKNTg&feature=youtu.be


April 2011 Alexander the Great in Afghanistan

The next volume of Andrew Chugg�s reconstruction of The History Concerning Alexander by Cleitarchus of Alexandria will be published in May 2011 under the title: Alexander the Great in Afghanistan. The new book covers the period between the death of Darius and Alexander�s invasion of India. Details can be found on the Alexanderstomb Cleitarchus Reconstruction page at http://www.alexanderstomb.com/main/cleitarchus/index.html


January 2011 Alexander the Great in Afghanistan

A new video on Alexander the Great in Afghanistan is now posted on this site in preparation for the publication of the third part of Andrew Chugg�s reconstruction of the History Concerning Alexander by Cleitarchus of Alexandria. This part deals with events in the seventh, eighth and ninth years of Alexander�s reign, when the king was roving through the vast expanses of ancient Parthia, Aria, Arachosia, Bactria and Sogdiana. The cover of the new book may also now be revealed. It is based on an engraving from a series entitled the Principal Deeds of Alexander by the Italian Renaissance artist Antonio Tempesta published in 1608 and now in the author�s collection.


November 2010 - Alexander the Great in Afghanistan

The third part of Andrew Chugg�s reconstruction of the History Concerning Alexander by Cleitarchus of Alexandria is now scheduled for publication in mid-2011. This deals with events in the seventh, eighth and ninth years of Alexander�s reign and immediately precedes the events described in Alexander the Great in India (Books 10 to 12 of Cleitarchus). Alexander is roving through the vast expanses of ancient Parthia, Aria, Arachosia, Bactria and Sogdiana suffering many of the most testing trials of his career, including successive assassination attempts and multiple insurrections of the indigenous peoples.


May 2010 - Developments

Although there is still no significant progress on investigation of the remains in Venice, fascination with the history of Alexander in life and death continues to show a remarkable rejuvenation. Hits on this website have just reached 3 million and sales of its sponsored books on Alexander exceeded a thousand copies in March 2010. Meanwhile we continue to strengthen the resources disseminated by our site with the addition of many new items to the Image Library, including a fascinating set of plans of Thebes, Halicarnassus and Tyre drawn in 1802 in the AtG Related gallery, and a new video on the Death of Hephaistion.


January 2010 - Publication of The Death of Alexander by Andrew Chugg

The second part of Andrew Chugg�s reconstruction of the History Concerning Alexander by Cleitarchus of Alexandria has now been published. This deals with events from the end of Alexander the Great in India (the preceding book) through to Alexander�s death and the ensuing turmoil in Babylon. For more details see the Death of Alexander page on this site.


December 2009 - Manfredi Publishes a Book on Alexander's Tomb

Valerio Massimo Manfredi, the Italian author of a best-selling series of novels about Alexander, published a non-fiction account of the enigma of Alexander�s tomb in November (currently only available in Italian). Andrew Chugg�s research on the subject is much referenced and discussed from a sceptical point of view.


November 2009 - Article on the possibility that Alexander's body is in Venice in Fenix magazine

The Italian magazine Fenix, dedicated to enigmas and mysteries of history and religion, has an article by Emanuela Cardarelli in its October 2009 edition (No. 12) on Andrew Chugg�s hypothesis that the supposed body of St Mark in the Basilica di San Marco in Venice might actually be the corpse of Alexander the Great. After discussing the matter in detail, the article concludes that an investigation of the remains would be appropriate. See:-
http://ilblogdiadrianoforgione.myblog.it/archive/2009/10/03/fenix-e-x-times-di-ottobre-in-edicola.html


October 2009 - Reconstruction of the Death of Alexander

Following the successful publication of Alexander the Great in India: A Reconstruction of Cleitarchus at the beginning of 2009, the next part of the reconstruction dealing with the death of Alexander and its aftermath is scheduled to be published at the beginning of 2010. Watch this column for further announcements.


September 2009

New graves have recently been found at Aegae (modern Vergina) in Macedon in the marketplace. The archaeologist (Chrysoula Saatsoglou-Paliadeli, a professor of classical archaeology at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki) is also now speculating that the remains discovered in a nearby grave last year are those of Heracles, Alexander's illegitimate son by Barsine. You can read the full story here:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j90gd4jX6JB-oH0-Ev2k_MkJFZVAD9AC26CG0

Most of what we know about Heracles and Barsine may be read in the Barsine chapter of my book on Alexander's Lovers. This chapter can be downloaded free of charge as a pdf from here:
http://www.alexanderslovers.com/main/sample.html

The find a year ago, now said to be the tomb of Heracles, comprised a large copper vessel containing a high quality gold wreath covering bones of a teenager in a golden vessel. It is shown in the adjoining image, which is a photo taken looking down into the copper vessel just after its discovery, when it was partly filled with water and a tangle of tree roots, but the gold of the wreath can be glimpsed beneath the surface.


September 2009

We have designed an Alexander�s Tomb 2010 Calendar. Please click on the adjoining image of its cover to see thumbnails of all twelve months. If you would like to order a copy, please send an email via the Contacts page (here). The calendars will be printed individually to your order (takes about a week) in a high quality glossy 14� x 11.5� format, so the cost is �25 or $40 or �29 plus postage to your location from the UK. Your calendar can optionally be signed by Andrew Chugg. Payment is normally by Paypal.


August 2009

This small coin is a Macedonian bronze of chalkon or dichalkon weight (2.3g).  It depicts a Macedonian shield on its obverse with the royal starburst on the boss or episema. The reverse has a helm with the inscription BA. There is some dispute whether it was minted under Alexander the Great (BA = Basileos Alexandrou) or Antigonus Gonatus (BA = Basileos Antigonou) or during the Interregnum of 288-277BC (BA = BAsileos). Its interest in the matter of Alexander�s tomb is that it connects the shield with an eight-pointed starburst boss to Macedon during Alexander�s era, since this coin shield closely resembles the shield on the ancient sculpted block found embedded in the foundations of St Marks in Venice (see below)


July 2009
We are pleased to have introduced a new gallery under Images in the Main Menu for Alexander the Great related images (AtG Related). For its launch we have added engravings from 1685 and 1889 including: the Temple of Ammon, the order of march of the Persian army, portraits of Demosthenes and Aristotle, an Indian war elephant, an ancient Greek plaque commemorating the battle of Arbela (Gaugamela), a scythed chariot, a view of Persepolis in the 17th century�

April 2009
Three photos of Andrew Chugg and the film crew on location in Alexandria during filming of the �Alexander�s Lost Tomb� documentary recently shown on National Geographic in the US and Channel 5 in the UK have been added to our Image Library on the Alexandria Now gallery at http://www.alexanderstomb.com/main/imageslibrary/alexandrianow/index.htm

January 2009

Coming Soon: Andrew Chugg�s latest book

Alexander the Great in India: A Reconstruction of Cleitarchus

The most influential account of the career of Alexander the Great was penned by Cleitarchus the son of Deinon, a Greek writing in Alexandria in the decades after Alexander�s death. Most of the surviving ancient texts on Alexander were more or less based upon his work, but every single copy of the original was discarded or destroyed in antiquity. To what extent might it be possible to reconstruct it from the secondary writings? This book argues that a considerable degree of reconstruction is feasible and demonstrates the point by presenting a full reconstruction of Cleitarchus� version of Alexander�s campaigns in India, the first time that this has been done.

Check back regularly for further announcements on its publication.


December 2008

 
New Documentary on Alexander's tomb in Egypt

Atlantic Productions has produced a series of documentaries for National Geographic TV on the theme of �Secrets of Egypt�. Andrew Chugg appears in one of these, entitled �Alexander the Great�s Lost Tomb�, which was premiered on the National Geographic channel in the USA at 20:00 ET on Friday 21st November 2008. The series is also being shown on Channel Five in the UK and the programme on Alexander�s Tomb is expected to be broadcast early in 2009. Andrew was filmed on location in Alexandria at the end of March 2008.
 


October 2008

 
View Andrew Chugg's Library at LibraryThing

You can now browse the catalogue of Andrew Chugg�s extensive library of books on Alexandria and Alexander the Great at: http://www.librarything.com/profile.php?view=amchugg
 


August 2008

The second and final part of the new article by Andrew Chugg entitled �Where is Alexander?� on the subject of the possibility that Alexander�s remains are in Venice has been published in the August-September 2008 edition of �Archaeological Diggings� magazine.

Click HERE to visit the �Archaeological Diggings� magazine.


June 2008

A new article by Andrew Chugg entitled �Where is Alexander?� on the subject of the ancient and possible current locations of the king�s remains has been published in the June-July 2008 edition of �Archaeological Diggings� magazine.

Click HERE to visit the �Archaeological Diggings� magazine.


April 2008

A selection of photos from Andrew�s visit to Alexandria at the end of March is now available in the new Alexandria Now gallery under the Image Library menu item HERE.


2nd February 2008

In his new best-selling novel, The Venetian Betrayal, Steve Berry has used the hypothesis that St Mark�s corpse in Venice might actually be that of Alexander as part of his plot. In his Writer�s Note on page 472 Steve has observed, �The possibility that the remains of St Mark in Venice may actually be those of Alexander the Great is not mine. Andrew Michael Chugg in his excellent The Lost Tomb of Alexander the Great postulated the theory.� See http://www.steveberry.org/ for more details.


8th January 2008

The Proceedings of the Eroi, Eroismi, Eroizzazione conference (held 18th September 2006) have just been published by the University of Padua.

Andrew Chugg presented a paper entitled �Famous Alexandrian Mummies: The Adventures in Death of Alexander the Great and Saint Mark the Evangelist� at this conference and the full text has now been published (with 28 illustrations) in these Proceedings.


January 2008

Archaeology Magazine has published a poll of 2200 visitors to its website in its January-February 2008 issue, which confirms that Alexander's is the missing tomb that people would most like to see found. Alexander�s tomb received 47% of the votes, with Genghis Khan�s and Cleopatra�s tied for second place on 18%. See http://www.archaeology.org/curiss/trenches/poll.html for more details.


September 2007
The article by Andrew Chugg on the authenticity of the Gold Porus Medallion, which recently came to light in Afghanistan/Pakistan, has been published in the September 2007 edition of the The Celator ancient coin journal. It shows that there are strong reasons to suspect that the coin is a forgery. Enquiries regarding copies of The Celator should be addressed to its editor Kerry Wetterstrom at kerry@celator.com

16th June 2007
An article by Andrew Chugg on the authenticity of the Gold Porus Medallion, which recently came to light in Afghanistan/Pakistan, has been accepted by the ancient coin magazine, The Celator. It is likely to be published later this year. For a web article introducing this intriguing coin see www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200606/ptolemy.s.alexandrian.postscript.htm

26th May 2007

Andrew Chugg gave a two-hour lecture on the subject of The Lost Tomb of Alexander the Great to a well-attended meeting of the Sussex Egyptology Society in Worthing on Saturday 26th May 2007. Andrew�s presentation was well received by an enthusiastic audience, many of whom declared themselves fascinated by this remarkable detective story.


29th April 2007

A year after its launch Alexander�s Lovers has now been published in a second impression incorporating a range of minor corrections and mentioning some new details and additional strands of evidence. This has mainly been guided by feedback and discussions with some of the hundreds of readers of Alexander�s Lovers. See www.alexanderslovers.com

Andrew Chugg will be presenting on the subject of Alexander�s Tomb at the meeting of the Sussex Egyptology Society (SES) on Saturday 26th May 2007. The meeting will be held at Davison High School for Girls in Selborne Road, Worthing, Sussex at 14:00. Non-Members may attend for a fee of �3. For further information see http://www.egyptology-uk.com/

Andrew Chugg�s research on Alexander's tomb was mentioned on Sunday 15th April during the weekly broadcast of "Passepartout" (see http://www.passepartout.rai.it/), which is the leading art review programme on Italian TV and is presented by Philippe Daverio on channel RAI3. This edition was dedicated to Hellenistic art and Andrew�s work was introduced at the end of the episode, leaving hanging the question of the true identity of St.Mark's body.


7th March 2007

An article on The Journal of Alexander the Great by Andrew Chugg has now been published in the Ancient History Bulletin, Issue 19.3-4 (please click on the adjacent thumbnails for the contents page and the first page of the article). Fragments of Alexander's Royal Journal survive which describe his final illness and death, but historians have doubted their authenticity. This new article argues that the Journal must be genuine, because Ephippus, a man once employed by Alexander, wrote a commentary upon it. This leads to the conclusion that the King is likely to have died of a fever, rather than through poisoning. This issue of the Ancient History Bulletin can be ordered for $15 from its website at http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/faculty/classics/ahb.html


19th January 2007


Article on Alexander's Tomb in BBC Focus Magazine (Feb 07)

There is a 6-page article on Alexander's tomb in the February 2007 edition of BBC Focus magazine, written by Robert Matthews, visiting Reader in Science at Aston University. It is available from 18th January 2007 in most larger UK Newsagents. Unfortunately the BBC Focus website at www.focusmag.co.uk only seems to have a two sentence summary: �Alexander the Great conquered the ancient world, but the whereabouts of his body remains unknown. A new theory, however, suggests that it might have been under our noses all this time.�

The cover of the magazine poses the question, �Alexander�s tomb found?� This is a reference to Andrew Chugg�s theory that the Alexandrians may have used Alexander�s body in creating their new tomb of St Mark, when the worship of Alexander was made illegal by the Emperor Theodosius in AD391. The article points out that the body, said to be St Mark, was taken to Venice in AD828 and that it currently lies in the Basilica di San Marco in that city, hence the comment that Alexander�s body may have been beneath our noses.

The article seems fairly balanced and includes short interviews with (and other quotes from) both Andrew Chugg and Nicholas Saunders. It also quotes Jean-Yves Empereur, the head of the CEA in Alexandria, on the matter of the location of the famous tomb in Alexandria.

This article contains the first publication in print of Andrew Chugg�s recent suggestion that a visual inspection of the remains in the Basilica di San Marco may suffice to resolve the question of their identity, since Alexander is said to have suffered distinctive wounds that damaged his skeleton (leg and chest).

The article concludes that until the Catholic Church grants permission to inspect the bones �the Venice Connection must remain only a theory. But it is just possible that today thousands of visitors to Venice pass within metres of the remains of one of the greatest figures of the ancient world.�


30th October 2006

An article on The Journal of Alexander the Great by Andrew Chugg is scheduled to be published in the Ancient History Bulletin, Issue 19.3-5 in November or December 2006. It shows that the surviving fragments of Alexander�s Royal Journal are very probably authentic. This means that the King is likely to have died of a fever, rather than through poisoning. This issue of the Ancient History Bulletin can be ordered for $15 from its website at http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/faculty/classics/ahb.html

This article was the subject of a newspaper story in the Independent in 2005, which can be found here: http://news.independent.co.uk/world/science_technology/article304278.ece


10th October 2006
 Andrew presented his paper on Famous Alexandrian Mummies at the Eroi, Eroismi, Eroizzazione conference in the Palazzo del Bo of the University of Padua on 18th September 2006. The photos were taken during the presentation and during the ensuing question and answer session. Andrew�s paper will be published in the Conference Proceedings, but this will take about a year. Further information will be posted in due course. Andrew was also able to travel the short distance to Venice to visit the Basilica di San Marco and the Cloister of St Apollonia (which houses the starburst sculpture extracted from the foundations of the main apse of the Basilica in the early 1960�s).

 

 
18-19 September 2006
 Andrew has accepted an invitation to give a presentation on the story of Alexander�s tomb at the Tombs of the Greek Heroes conference to be held at the University of Padua in Northern Italy on 18th-19th September 2006. Andrew�s presentation will be entitled, Famous Alexandrian Mummies: The Adventures in Death of Alexander the Great and St Mark the Evangelist.

28th August 2006

Programme now available for the conference �Eroi, Eroismi, Eroizzazioni Dalla Grecia antica a Padova e Venezia� (Tombs of the Greek Heroes) to be held at the University of Padua in Italy, 18th-19th September 2006, and at which Andrew Chugg will present on �Famous Alexandrian Mummies: The Adventures in Death of Alexander the Great and St Mark the Evangelist�.

Download the Programme here
(214kBytes)


1st June 2006
Now published, Alexander�s Lovers, the second book by Andrew Chugg, which presents an exploration of Alexander�s character through the mirror of the lives of the people with whom he pursued romantic relationships, including his friend Hephaistion, his queen Roxane, his mistress Barsine and Bagoas the Eunuch. It incorporates much new research and tells a more complete version of their biographies than has previously been published.

For more information please visit www.alexanderslovers.com

Tues 9 May 2006

How to find Andrew Chugg�s lecture on the Lost Tomb of Alexander the Great in the Department of Archaeology of the University of Bristol at 18:45 on 9th May 2006.
 
A large red asterisk on the adjoining map marks the location. Visitors are welcome for a fee of one UK pound, to be paid to the Treasurer of the Egypt Society of Bristol at the door.
 
Lecture, The Lost Tomb of Alexander the Great by Andrew Chugg at the Egypt Society of Bristol.

 
Andrew Chugg will be giving a lecture on "The Lost Tomb of Alexander the Great" to the Egypt Society of Bristol (ESB) on Tuesday 9th May 2006 at 18:45 in Lecture Room 1, Department of Archaeology, University of Bristol, 43 Woodland Road, Clifton, Bristol. Non-Members also welcome.

16th March 2006

Please click here for more information.

Cleitarchus of Alexandria
 
A synthesis of the History of Alexander by Cleitarchus of Alexandria (first six books) has now been published on this site. It can be downloaded at this link.

12th August 2005


Please click here for more information or to order your copy.

Now available direct to USA, France, Canada, Germany, Japan & UK
 

The Lost Tomb of Alexander the Great is now available directly within a few days to customers in the USA at Amazon.com as well as on the UK, French, Canadian, German and Japanese Amazon sites. To find it at Amazon.com search on tomb chugg or try this link.


7th August 2005



More information about Alexander's Death

Article in Independent on Sunday
 
An article was published in the 7 August 2005 edition of the Independent on Sunday (UK national Sunday newspaper) about the forthcoming publication of a paper by Andrew Chugg on the subject of Alexander's Journal and its implications for the cause of Alexander's Death. See our Death of Alexander page for more details.

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