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Site Catalog Name: Pella
Images and Plans | Browse Images | Plot this site | Buildings on this siteRegion: Macedonia
Periods: Hellenistic
Type: Fortified city
Summary: Capital city of Macedonia and birthplace of Philip II and Alexander the Great.
Pella is located on low hills at the edge of swampy ground which was formerly a lagoon navigable to the Thermaic Gulf. Within the ca. 3.5 square km city, which was laid out on the Hippodamian grid system, are the royal palace, civic and religious buildings, and the luxurious houses of Macedonian officials. The main finds thus far are a number of large Macedonian houses with peristyle courts and rich mosaics.
Description:
Pella was founded ca. 400 B.C. as the new capital of Macedonia by King Archelaus. The city was the birthplace of Philip II and Alexander the Great and it grew in size and prestige at a pace with the Hellenistic Empire. The city reached its peak in political and artistic influence at ca. 274-239 B.C.
With the defeat of the last king of Macedonia in 168 B.C. Pella lost importance and was overshadowed by the growing city of Thessalonica on the coast.
Exploration:
Trial excavations by G. Oikonomos in 1912. Major excavations by P. Petsas and C. Makaronas in 1957-1964, continued in 1970.
Sources Used:
Other Bibliography:
(Donald R. Keller)
Views:
1 Plan
| Archive Number | Caption |
|---|---|
63 Images
| Archive Number | Caption |
| 1990.30.0094 | Aerial view of site and surroundings, from SW |
| 1990.30.0169 | Aerial view of whole site, Areas II (1), III (Stoa), I, IV; Baths, Edge of Modern Palaia PelIa Town, N Road |
| 1998.03.0054 | Pella, 2: Overview of Pella |
| 1998.03.0055 | Pella, 2: Overview of Pella |
| 1998.03.0056 | Pella, 2: Overview of Pella |
| 1998.03.0057 | Pella, 2: Overview of Pella |
| 1998.03.0058 | Pella, 2: Overview of Pella |
| 1990.30.0095 | Aerial view of houses, from SE |
| 1990.27.0543 | Overall view of site from S |
| 1990.27.0542 | Overall view of site from S-SW |
| 1990.27.0532 | Walls to W of agora, from NE |
| 1990.27.0531 | Walls W of agora, from N |
| 1990.27.0530 | Walls W of agora, from N |
| 1990.27.0529 | Walls W of agora, from N |
| 1990.27.0528 | Drain and walls along W side of agora, from N |
| 1990.27.0527 | Rooms or shops at N end of agora, from N |
| 1990.27.0526 | Rooms or shops at N end of agora, from E |
| 1990.27.0525 | Stone drain in street W of agora shops, from S |
| 1990.27.0524 | Doorway of a shop at the agora, from S |
| 1990.27.0523 | Two shops at E end of agora, from S |
| 1990.27.0522 | Detail of wall in shop at E end of agora, from S |
| 1990.27.0521 | Detail of floor in shop at E end of agora, from E |
| 1990.27.0520 | Interior of shop at E end of the agora, from SE |
| 1990.27.0559 | Shopes along S side of the agora, from W |
| 1990.27.0568 | Stone northeast-southwest running drain covered by reused terracotta rooftiles (example of an expedient repair job in antiquity), from E |
| 1990.27.0567 | Detail of stone drain covered by reused terracotta rooftiles (example of an expedient repair job in antiquity) |
| 1990.27.0566 | View down on house wall (double faced with rubble fill) at S side of site |
| 1990.27.0565 | Cross section of house wall at S side of site, from S |
| 1990.27.0564 | Drain in house wall on E side of the north-south street, from W |
| 1990.27.0563 | Terracotta pithos-like subterranean water-settling reservoir, (out of position and resting upside-down). Part of city's water supply system. |
| 1990.27.0558 | Terracotta rim of pithos-like subterranean water-settling reservoir, in situ at intersection of main streets. Part of city's water supply system. |
| 1990.27.0519 | Steps at E end of main street, from N |
| 1990.27.0518 | General view of site from S |
| 1990.27.0517 | View of site from SE (modern roofing covers mosaic fragments) |
| 1990.27.0516 | Overall view of peristyle court in House of the Lion Hunt, from N |
| 1990.27.0541 | View from ancient main road toward SE and the peristyle court of the House of the Lion Hunt |
| 1990.27.0549 | Southwest room of the House of the Lion Hunt, from NE |
| 1990.27.0546 | Southwest room and mosaic of the House of the Lion Hunt, from S-SW |
| 1990.27.0545 | West wall of the House of the Lion Hunt along ancient north-south street, from S |
| 1990.27.0544 | West wall of the House of the Lion Hunt along ancient north-south street, from W |
| 1990.27.0515 | North end of House of the Lion Hunt, from N |
| 1990.27.0514 | Wall and mosaic of House of the Lion Hunt, from E |
| 1990.27.0533 | Bedding stones under mosaic floor (small corner of mosaic visible), from west-southwest |
| 1990.27.0534 | Wall of room with mosaic floor, from S-SE |
| 1990.27.0535 | Detail of wall and mosaic floor construction (modern reconstruction and preservation also), from south-southwest |
| 1990.27.0548 | Room in the House of the Lion Hunt that Dionysos mosaic came from room, from E-NE |
| 1990.27.0547 | Stone drain under floor with "checkerboard" and "centaur" mosaics (mosaics under sand) in the House of the Lion Hunt, from SE |
| 1990.27.0550 | Detail of NE corner of "checkerboard" mosaic, from N |
| 1990.27.0557 | Stucco on a column of the peristyle court of House of the Lion Hunt, from S-SE |
| 1990.27.0556 | Interior house wall W of peristyle court of House of the Lion Hunt, from N |
| 1990.27.0555 | Drain from peristyle court of House of the Lion Hunt, from W |
| 1990.27.0554 | Drain going from peristyle court of House of the Lion Hunt, from E |
| 1990.27.0553 | Threshold block W of peristyle court of the House of the Lion Hunt, from E |
| 1990.27.0552 | Capital of SE column of peristyle court of House of the Lion Hunt, from S |
| 1990.27.0551 | Base of SE column of peristyle court in the House of the Lion Hunt, from E |
| 1990.27.0562 | Mosaic floors (reconstructed and protected by roof) of two adjoining rooms. Room in foreground shows pebble bedding for mosaic floor, from W |
| 1990.27.0561 | Marble curb-wall of peristyle S of room with mosaics (ancones and anathyrosis of blocks visible), from SW |
| 1990.27.0560 | Re-erected column of peristyle S of room with mosaics (covered) mosaics, from SW |
| 1990.27.0540 | Wall of marble blocks with ancones and anathyrosis visible |
| 1990.27.0539 | Detail of anathyrosis (polished raised edge to block for close joins) of a marble block |
| 1990.27.0538 | Detail of an ancone (projecting lifting boss) on a marble block |
| 1990.27.0537 | Detail of molding on base of wall, from W |
| 1990.27.0536 | Molding on base of wall in house with the mosaics, from W |