Above image credit: Düzce Municipality in association with Konuralp Museum
NEWS: Marble head of Alexander the Great excavated at ruins of Prusias ad Hypium
Düzce Municipality archaeologists have found a marble head of Alexander the Great during excavations of the Ancient Theatre site in the ruins of Prusias ad Hypium. The archaeologists first noticed a structure in the ground at the top of the theatre area. They were eventually able to carefully remove the structure which turned out to be a 23 cm tall marble portrait head. After initial on-site examination and cleaning, the head was sent to Konuralp Museum for examination by experts. Their analysis concluded that the head was a depiction of Alexander the Great, the legendary ancient king of Macedon.
In a statement, Konuralp Museum stated:
“A head of Alexander, measuring 23 cm (from head to neck), dated to the 2nd century AD, was found during the theater excavation. It is depicted with deep, upward-looking eyes made of marble, drill marks on the pupil, and a slightly open mouth that does not reveal much of its teeth. His long curly hairstyle up to his neck, thrown to the sides, and two strands of hair (Anastoli) parted back and to the sides in the middle of his forehead, are like the mane of a lion. This depiction is a hair type specific to Alexander the Great."
Prusias ad Hypium was called Kieros (sometimes spelled the Latin way, Cierus) in Alexander’s day. According to Memnon of Heraclea (Book 15) the city was captured from the Heracleans by king Prusias I of Bythinia (r. 228-182 BC) who renamed it after himself. The kingdom of Bythinia came under the control of the Roman Republic in the 1st century BC during the Third Mithridatic War and was officially annexed by Pompey the Great in the 60s BC. Eventually, in order to distinguish Prusias from the other Bythinian city of Prusa (modern day Bursa, Prusa was also named by Prusias I after himself) Prusias started being called Prusias ad Hypium, referring to the nearby Hypius River and Hypius Mountains.
The ruins of Prusias ad Hypium are an excellent archaeological example of a Hellenistic city that later came under Roman control. This marble head of Alexander the Great is dated to the second century AD and so was built during Roman occupation. This is yet another example of the Romans’ idolisation of the undefeated Macedonian general.
09/10/2023