Alexander the Great, the royal throne and the funerary thrones of Macedonia

Abstract

There is no evidence in either Greece or Macedon in the archaic and classical periods that the throne functioned as a symbol of royalty. Thrones were for the gods and their priests. Only the king of Persia used a royal throne and even had portable thrones for his campaigns. This paper argues that after his conquest of the Persian Empire, Alexander the Great adopted the throne as a royal symbol; after his death, his throne became a token of his invisible presence. Philip III Arrhidaeus is known to have used a royal throne after his return to Macedonia. By implication, the marble thrones found in three tombs at Vegina-Aegae are here understood as symbols of royalty and the tombs are interpreted as royal.No hay evidencias ni en Grecia ni en Macedonia durante los períodos arcáico y clásico de que los tronos funcionasen como símbolos de realeza. Los tronos eran para los dioses y sus sacerdotes. Sólo el Rey de Persia empleaba un trono real e incluso poseía tronos portables para sus campañas. Este artículo defiende que tras su conquista del Imperio Persa, Alejandro Magno adoptó el trono como símbolo real; tras su muerte, su trono se convirtió en un element de afirmación de su presencia invisible. Filipo III Arrideo es conocido por haber empleado un trono real tras su vuelta a Macedonia. Por implicación, los tronos de marmol encontrados en tres tumbas en Vergina-Egas son aquí comprendidos como símbolos de realeza y las tumbas son interpretadas como regias