And that vacuum of evidence has become a political magnet.
But the conflict isn’t just regional. Enter North Macedonia’s powerful neighbor to the east: Bulgaria. Last year, a Bulgarian historian published a genetic analysis of skeletal remains from a 4th-century BC grave near the modern town of Sandanski, claiming “significant Thracian lineage markers” consistent with Alexander’s described appearance. The Bulgarian Ministry of Culture quietly funded a follow-up study, prompting an official protest from Athens and a formal letter from North Macedonia’s prime minister demanding access to the data. And that vacuum of evidence has become a political magnet
The core problem is simple, and maddening. Alexander’s final resting place—the Soma of Alexander in Alexandria, Egypt—was one of the ancient world’s most sacred pilgrimage sites. Roman emperors from Caesar to Caracalla made the trek. Then, sometime between the 3rd and 4th centuries AD, history lost track. Earthquakes, rising sea levels, and the slow decay of empires erased the tomb from memory. Unlike the relatively recent discovery of Richard III under a parking lot, Alexander has remained stubbornly, magnificently, missing . Last year, a Bulgarian historian published a genetic
— The World News
Not for its gold, but for its name.
Meanwhile, a private American salvage company, Amphipolis Holdings LLC, has quietly secured exploration permits from Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities to conduct ground-penetrating radar scans beneath the modern city of Alexandria. Their spokesperson declined to comment, but a leaked investor prospectus described the potential find as “the single most valuable unclaimed archaeological asset on Earth.” Alexander’s final resting place—the Soma of Alexander in