Experts have made an exciting – and potentially unique – find at the Tombs of the Kings in Paphos with some now claiming a mausoleum had been in fact created for Ptolemy Eupator, an ancient king of Cyprus.
The mausoleum dates back to 166-152 BC.
Eupator was the son of Ptolemy VI Philometor and Cleopatra II, and for a short time in 152 BCE reigned over part of the Ptolemaic dynasty as co-ruler with his father. It is thought that Ptolemy Eupator died in August of that same year. Having been crowned, Eupator would have been considered a god at the time.
Experts Michalis Lefatzis and Theodoros Mavroyiannis were the experts behind the tomb’s identification.
Lefatzis is a Greek Culture Ministry Directorate for the Restoration of Ancient Monuments Department architect and Mavroyiannis is an Associate Professor at the University of Cyprus’ Ancient History Department.
The Tombs of Kings date back to the Ptolemaic dynasty which was founded by Ptolemy son of Lagus, a general of Alexander the Great.
On Alexander’s death in 323 BC, Ptolemy was appointed satrap of Egypt, and eventually declared himself king in 304 BC. The dynasty lasted until the death of Cleopatra VII and the Roman conquest of Egypt in 30 BC.
The identification of who the mausoleum was created for is important for two main reasons, firstly because it is the first belonging to Ptolemaic dynasty royalty to be identified in Cyprus.
The second reason the find is important is because the particular mausoleum has a different structure to others and is believed to have included a temple-like structure.
Lefatzis, who is also working on the Amphipolis digs in Greece which some experts have linked to Alexander the Great, told Phileleftheros: “This is a unique grave memorial that I have not encountered anywhere else”.
Images of what the memorial would have looked like, complete with impressive pillars, have been generated and can be seen here.
Lefatzis noted the monument would have been placed in a prominent spot and been highly visible even from a distance. Two statues of eagles, mentioned in historical sources from the period, have also been linked to the tomb.
He and Mavroyiannis expect to shortly be in a position to make more important announcements connected to their find, Lefatzis said.
