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A  sculpture of Alexander the Great riding his horse Bucephalus in Thessaloniki, a port city in Greece. (Image credit: paulshark)

By the age of 32, Alexander the Great had conquered an empire that stretched from the Balkans to modern-day Pakistan, making him the sovereign of one of the largest empires in the ancient world. Despite his success and fame, it’s impossible to pay respects to him today, as the location of his final resting place is a mystery. 

But based on ancient writings, legends and recent discoveries, are there any clues as to where Alexander the Great is buried?

The great Macedonian general died in Babylon in 323 B.C., and his empire collapsed shortly afterward as his generals and officials fought for control. One of his generals, Ptolemy, got control of Alexander the Great’s body and brought it to Memphis, Egypt, in 321 B.C., Chris Naunton (opens in new tab) , an Egyptologist who is director of the U.K.-based Robert Anderson Research Charitable Trust, wrote in his book “Searching for the Lost Tombs of Egypt (opens in new tab) ” (Thames & Hudson, 2018). 

Historical records suggest that Alexander the Great’s body was likely kept in Memphis (an ancient city located near Cairo) until a tomb was built in Alexandria and his body was moved to the tomb. It’s not clear when this happened, but it may have taken as long as a few decades, Naunton wrote. Historical records indicate that in the late third century B.C., another tomb for Alexander, known as the “Sema” or “Soma,” was built in Alexandria, and this seems to have been the last tomb that Alexander was placed in, Naunton wrote. 

It’s not clear where, exactly, this final tomb is located. “The location of the tomb could now be underwater — [the ancient Greek historian] Strabo indicates that it was in the ‘palaces district,’ part of which is certainly underwater now. But it could have been further inland — the sources don’t allow us to be certain about this,” Naunton told Live Science in an email. 

Related: Where is Attila the Hun’s tomb?

Andrew Erskine (opens in new tab) , a classics professor at The University of Edinburgh in the U.K., also noted this uncertainty. “The ancient sources tell us that [the] tomb of Alexander was alongside that of the Ptolemies in the palace complex at Alexandria, but where exactly is not clear,” Erskine told Live Science in an email.

The famous Alexander Mosaic, also known as the Battle of Issus Mosaic, was found in the House of the Faun in Pompeii, Italy and dates to circa 100 B.C. (Image credit: Simone Crespiatico)

Naunton told Live Science that there is a good chance that Alexander the Great’s tomb will not be found. “It probably hasn’t survived to any great extent — centuries of man-made and natural destruction, and the presence of the modern city which completely covers the ancient one now, has probably ensured that,” Naunton said. Even if remains of the tomb are found, it may not be possible to identify the tomb as that of Alexander the Great, he added. Historical texts provide little information on what the tomb looked like, and an inscription on the tomb may be necessary to identify it, Naunton said. 

Although the location of his final tomb is unknown, there are two surviving locations where Alexander the Great’s body may have been placed for a time. One is in a tomb in eastern Alexandria known as the “alabaster tomb.” There is no inscription on it, but it is sizable; it’s possible that it could have been the tomb that Alexander was kept in after his body was first moved to Alexandria, Naunton said. It appears to date to around the third century B.C. and some parts of its design are similar to other ancient tombs in Macedonia. 

Additionally, there is a sarcophagus that was constructed for Nectanebo II, a pharaoh who was forced to flee Egypt around 343 B.C. when the Persians invaded. There is a long-standing legend that it held Alexander’s body for a time, possibly after it was first brought to Memphis from Babylon. It is now in the British Museum in London.RELATED MYSTERIES—Where is the tomb of Genghis Khan?

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In an article published in fall 2020 in the Egyptology magazine Kmt, Andrew Chugg (opens in new tab) , an independent researcher, made an argument for why this sarcophagus temporarily held Alexander’s body. He noted the ancient story where Nectanebo II made his way to Macedonia and impregnated Alexander’s mother, making him the father of Alexander the Great. While this story is likely fictional, it shows a connection between Nectanebo II and Alexander, Chugg wrote. 

Additionally, Chugg has identified a block with a star shield (a symbol associated with Alexander), which is now in the St Apollonia stone museum in Venice, Italy, that he believes was part of the sarcophagus. “I have shown that it is an exact fit to the long side of the Nectanebo II sarcophagus,” Chugg told Live Science in an email, noting that “the chance of this fit happening by accident is only about 1%.”

Some scholars believe that the final tomb will be found. Chugg has identified a few areas in Alexandria that hold promise. Zahi Hawass (opens in new tab) , a former Egyptian antiquities minister, told Live Science that he thinks the tomb is located in an area now known as the Latin cemetery at El-Shatby, in Alexandria, and that Alexander the Great’s burial could be found in the future. 

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Brewers’ Miz scratched from start, placed on IL

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Brewers' Miz scratched from start, placed on IL

Milwaukee Brewers All-Star rookie Jacob Misiorowski was placed on the injured list with a left tibia contusion prior to his scheduled start against the Washington Nationals on Sunday.

Misiorowski told reporters that he anticipates missing about two starts and being ready to go after the 15 days. The IL move is retroactive to Thursday.

The right-hander took a liner to the shin off the bat of the Chicago CubsSeiya Suzuki in the first inning of his last start Monday. Later in the inning, after fielding a dribbler in front of the mound, Misiorowski’s knee buckled as he threw wildly to first and two runners scored.

The 23-year-old Misiorowski stayed in the game, pitching three more innings before coming out after 80 pitches.

Misiorowski is 4-1 with 47 strikeouts in 33⅓ innings this season.

In a related move, the Brewers recalled right-hander Logan Henderson from Triple-A Nashville, and he is expected to start against the Nationals on Sunday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Rockies closer Halvorsen (elbow strain) put on IL

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Rockies closer Halvorsen (elbow strain) put on IL

DENVER — The Colorado Rockies have put closer Seth Halvorsen on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow strain after he had to leave Saturday’s win over Pittsburgh.

Interim manager Warren Schaeffer said at the time the injury didn’t look good — following the right-hander’s exit after throwing five pitches in the ninth inning. Halvorsen leads the Rockies with 11 saves.

Colorado also recalled right-hander Nick Anderson and catcher Braxton Fulford from Triple-A Albuquerque on Sunday, and the Rockies optioned infielder Michael Toglia to Albuquerque.

The 25-year-old Halvorsen is 1-2 with a 4.99 ERA this year. He made his big league debut in August of 2024.

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Braves-Reds showcase at Bristol stalled by rain

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Braves-Reds showcase at Bristol stalled by rain

BRISTOL, Tenn. — It was a red flag for Major League Baseball at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday night.

The Speedway Classic between the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds was suspended in the first inning because of rain, soaking a record-breaking crowd for the first regular-season game in Tennessee. The plan is to resume the game on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.

The first delay at the historic bullring of a racetrack came after the ceremonial first pitch featuring a pair of Hall of Famers in Johnny Bench and Chipper Jones, joined by NASCAR drivers Kyle Busch and Chase Elliott. The second with one out in the bottom of the first led to the game being pushed back a day.

Fans who stuck out the first delay of 2 hours, 17 minutes started heading toward the exits before the game was postponed with the Reds holding a 1-0 lead.

It was an unwelcome detour for the long-planned event mixing baseball and NASCAR.

“We’re going to suspend tonight’s game. … We are optimistic for a better weather forecast for tomorrow,” Michael Hill, MLB’s senior vice president of on-field operations, told Fox.

The rain made life difficult on the players before the suspension. A bat flew out of TJ Friedl‘s hands as he led off for the Reds. A pitcher seemed to catch his footing going to cover first base.

The Speedway Classic was announced nearly a year ago as part of commissioner Rob Manfred’s push to take MLB to places where baseball isn’t played every day live. MLB played a game at the “Field of Dreams” movie site in Iowa in 2021 and 2022. Games have been held in Alabama and North Carolina too.

Reds pitcher Andrew Abbott showed up Saturday afternoon at Bristol wearing a cutoff version of a NASCAR race suit. Born in Lynchburg, Virginia, Abbott said he wanted something to wear in for a special game.

“I grew up around NASCAR,” Abbott said. “Just went on eBay and found a couple options, and luckily that was the one that arrived in time. I had a couple of backups. I know who Rusty Wallace is too, so I actually do know the backstory behind it.”

Long before the fans departed in the rain, they were entertained by a 110-foot Ferris wheel along with food trucks, live music, pitching tunnels and batting cages. Fans also had a chance for photos with the Commissioner’s Trophy and Clydesdales outside the historic racetrack.

Inside, star Tim McGraw performed and was joined by Pitbull.

Before the weather moved over the area, players stood in the back of pickup trucks with their numbers emblazoned on the side and rode around the half-mile racetrack. Some used their phones to document the moment. For introductions, the Braves and Reds walked between a pair of cars decked out in Atlanta and Cincinnati colors.

Then the tarp came out as rain that had been falling around Bristol much of Saturday turned heavy and delayed the start.

The first delay led to the Braves switching starting pitchers. Spencer Strider, who grew up in nearby Knoxville, got a bigger ovation than Reds starter Chase Burns, who is from Hendersonville and played at the University of Tennessee. The Reds stuck with Burns despite the delay.

Strider warmed up. The Braves chose not to risk his third start in this situation coming off a second elbow surgery and turned to Austin Cox.

The rain stopped long enough to take off the tarp and start the game.

Michael Waltrip, who raced plenty at Bristol, restarted the festivities by quoting his brother Darrell: “Boogity, boogity, boogity. Let’s play baseball, boys!”

Atlanta went down in order in the top of the first inning. But there was another rain delay after Austin Hays hit an RBI single for Cincinnati in the bottom half.

MLB didn’t try to sell every ticket inside the speedway that drew 156,990 for the Battle of Bristol college football game in 2016. The track with a racing capacity of 146,000 could host 90,000 or more even with sections blocked off.

Officials announced Monday that more than 85,000 tickets had been sold, topping the previous paid attendance of 84,587 set Sept. 12, 1954, when Cleveland Stadium hosted the New York Yankees.

A batter has to clear 400 feet to hit anything out of center field, 375 in the alleys and 330 down each baseline. Pulling a ball down the line raises the prospect of a ball bouncing off the racetrack beyond the outfield wall.

“Honestly, my first thought: I can’t believe they did all this for one game,” Braves first baseman Matt Olson said of his first visit to Bristol. “To be able to set all this up, get a playing surface ready, set the stands up in order to have the proper viewing, it’s pretty incredible.”

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